Video

[ahew_kha]

[Usually when Kisara starts a video, there's some sort of background or something else going on around her. For once there doesn't seem to be, she's merely sitting on the floor of what one can only assume is her room. Not a Pokemon in her lap, nothing like that. She's quiet for a moment, seeming to be pondering over something before she starts, expression relatively neutral.]

I don't know if anyone has the answers, but I was just thinking about this the other day: how does this place manage to translate people? Is it some sort of technology, magic, something else entirely...? Because I know my native language has only a few speakers and, even then, even less who speak it natively. I'm not complaining, it's nice to not have to worry about it, but I can't help but be curious.

[That clearly isn't the only question as there's only really one answer for that when she clearly stated plural instead of singular. She shifts somewhat, resting her head against the wall and watching the ceiling instead.]

It's probably more... theoretical than it needs to be, but do you think, if you were sent back to where you were from, if you would go back to the state you were in before you came here? Would you be alive if you were not? Would you be dead if you were there? Or would you remain in some sort of... grey area if you were between those two things?

[That might be a little deeper than she meant for it to be, but the thoughts still remain.]

I can't help but wonder how you reconcile the god of this place versus whatever god or gods there are or were from your world. [Ah, she's looking at the camera again, the faintest hint of a grin tugging at her lips.] Not that it matters in my case, I already know what my future will entail.

Comments

[video]

[woofdad]

Those are... all very good questions. [Kind of existentially horrifying, but good nonetheless.] I've definitely thought about them myself - admittedly less so the last one.

[And the second he's mostly worried about for other people's sake.]

I suppose the first probably has some relation to the means by which this place changes our bodies to keep us all within the apparent range of, well-- of "non-magical human". [Paired with air quotes, for clarity.] I imagine it must be a form of magic, or perhaps a form of esoteric reality alteration specific to this place and distinct from magic... depending on how broad your definition of magic is, anyway.

In any case, I imagine it must operate based on our intent when we speak...? The translation is too clear to be entirely literal, after all, and it seems to occasionally leave specific words or phrases untouched, particularly in cases where their being in a specific language seemed to be an explicit part of the speaker's intent.

...Also, I hope you're doing well for yourself here. [He does not need to ask what she means about her future to be able to piece together... a rough idea. He can only hope this place is kinder to her than her own world.]

[ahew_kha]

Are they? [She doesn't seem entirely convinced on that fact, knowing that she... probably is looking too much into it. Is asking questions that no one else bothers asking. Or, well, ones that are entirely bringing the mood down.]

Considering the little bit of magic I do know about, I wouldn't say it's out of the range of possibility. [With what she's seen, what she's heard, she knows that magic can be powerful in both the right and wrong hands. Even if she has nothing to do with any of it.] Especially if it, in some way, ties to the god of this place? It's not outside of the realm of possibility for some kind of deity...

[Ah, maybe she shouldn't get too caught up in that.]

You're right. I know I was able to purposefully speak my native tongue and it didn't seem to translate it. So it has to be intent based... [If she were someone that had any kind of darker intentions, she could use that to her advantage. But, as it stands, she's not, so it's safe enough.]

... I'm fine. [She sounds almost not too sure there, actually.]

[woofdad]

Well, I think they are, anyway. [He knows his definition is skewed, alright, but it's how he feels!!]

Ah, yeah - some people have suggested that Arceus, a Pokemon considered a god here, might have to do with our presence? From what I've heard, I'm not sure there's a lot of evidence for that assumption, but it's worth taking into account.

Exactly - though it still certainly seems to leave room for misunderstanding and miscommunication. It's sort of interesting, how whatever is doing this seems to walk that line.

[Yeah, that response is... neither reassuring nor surprising. He feels for her, certainly, but... as a complete stranger, he's not in any position to try to involve himself here.] Well-- that's good to hear. If you're ever not sure, though, do you have people you can talk to about it?

[ahew_kha]

[It's totally not her fault that she still tries to diminish herself and not be seen, thank you very much.]

If it's considered a god, then I don't see why there wouldn't be some sort of influence there. I have heard of gods doing stranger things, both between themselves and with mortals, so it's not outside the realm of possibility. [Ancient Egypt was wildin and that is her excuse. Not as wildin as some other deities, but close enough sometimes.]

Some words don't really have an equivalent in other languages, I think! Or, um, that seems to be the case. I know that some of the words I was repeating back when I was speaking my own tongue defaulted by to the "normal" here, since I... don't think we'd really have a word for those things. [You know, things like holograms and the like. Which tracks.

Perhaps for the best that he doesn't, unless he really wants to be depressed about things later. Even if she's probably the only one who finds any of what happened to her as a positive.]

It's a little difficult to talk about it since it's... so specific to the situation. But I think I do?

[blue_ice]

Pokémon have strange powers. I wonder if that supposed god Pokémon is involved. I've seen it once, its power was...alarming, but it saved us.

I'm really not the person to ask about anything else, though. I've always believed in controlling my own destiny.

[ahew_kha]

That's what I'm thinking might be the case, because it wouldn't make much sense otherwise... [It makes more sense than anything else she's come up with so far.

She pauses on the last part, controlling his own destiny. He's done that, certainly, but there's also things he cannot control and she's certain he's already aware of what those are.]

It must be nice to be able to change and control your own destiny. [That sounds worse than it was meant to be, so she's quick to add onto that sentence.] Not that I'm complaining or would change anything I've done or did, it's just... an odd feeling.

[blue_ice]

I'm sorry about what happened to you.

[ So awkward, but he's going to try. ]

But any god worth worshiping would do better for you. Give you a chance to stay and live.

[ahew_kha]

[She's actually laughing a little at his words, though it sounds a little more hollow than she meant for it to. There's a ruffling of fur in the background and she's shifting somewhat, distracted by something before she refocuses.]

It didn't work out quite the way I might have wanted for it to, if I had the chance, but at least I accomplished something that was worthwhile. Better than what would have happened without fate stepping in on that day. [She can only imagine what would have happened if Akhenaden's plans had been completed, but throwing a wrench into that had certainly helped.]

Throwing me into a world where I have to relearn almost everything I thought I knew, in an era that is nowhere near close to mine. [Her tone at least clearly states that she's messing with him on purpose now, slowly letting most of her concern slip to the side to be a little more relaxed.] Is it merciful or is it cruel? But it's better than being sealed, I can confirm that.

[ironchef]

Apparently the old legendaries are pretty powerful. We're talking 'turn people into pokemon' powerful. Which I just found out about recently and am not excited to know. But, you know, here we are.

It's totally within the realm of possibility they could make us understand each other.

Or... I don't know. Apparently here we were all raised by the same Mom.

[ahew_kha]

... Turning people into Pokemon? [Oh, that sounds... horrendous, actually.] I don't know if I like having this information anymore than you do. There's a lot gods can do, certainly, but usually doing something like changing people is generally a punishment, I think?

[Guess who didn't listen to anything the "mom" said and didn't really clock any of what was going on. It was her.]

Mmm. Is that who that was supposed to be? I was a little busy having a bit of a panic attack at first...

[ironchef]

Yeah. I don't think it's a commonplace thing but no way am I looking forward to it.

I dunno, though, I've seen a lot of people that get some really strange accidents happen to them? I wasn't clear on the details. I was too busy panicking myself when I was told about it. So you're at least in good company.

[Sometimes he gets too upset to take in all the information.]

[ahew_kha]

[Oh, you know, just casually being dropped somewhere that is entirely different in both place and time period than you're familiar with. With a weird woman calling herself your mother that you immediately shoved into the back of your mind.

It's fine, she's fine.]

Let's... just hope that it doesn't happen any time soon? I'm not sure if I need to relive anything like that, thanks. [Since the dragon shenanigans ended so well for her each and every time, except for that last time.]

I think that was most of this month, honestly! I ended up with an orphaned dragon, I know that there were other people having other strange things happening to them... None of it seemed to add up other than it was just abnormal?

Video

[a_sin_for_him]

I can answer one of your questions without speculation, at least.

My husband has come and gone from this world multiple times now. Each time, according to him, he was returned to the very moment he came from with no memories of this place, as though he'd never been. They only returned when he himself returned to this world. So one can extrapolate yes, one would return to whatever state they were in.

Which is why some of us hope to remain here.

[ahew_kha]

[That is precisely the answer she was not hoping for and is visibly flinching as it processes. Is it better that if she returned she wouldn't remember anything from this place? Would it undo any of the good that had happened here?

She's not sure how she feels about it other than feeling something in the pit of her stomach that she's having to pointedly ignore.]

I guess that makes sense, considering I think a lot of what I've learned here could possibly change things back home, whether for the better or worse... [She trails off. She's known real freedom here, the ability to do what she wants and not have to worry about what the consequences might be. Being essentially stuck after having that knowledge?

It's probably for the best, yeah.]

Thank you for the information.

[a_sin_for_him]

This place is...a special place. The rules of whatever worlds we came from don't apply. Regardless of what we were or what state we were in, it doesn't follow us here. And the same applies in reverse.

It isn't always the easiest thing to learn, I understand. It wasn't for me, in the beginning.

There are a number of us who have no life in our own world.

[video]

[torinoko]

[Someone's disheveled, but she's made it out of the mountain when she finds this, so please forgive her appearance, Kisara.]

...They're a prescient set of questions, but my answers might be a little unique in this.

[She pauses to give a pokemon off-screen some scritches.]

This sort of thing has happened to me before.

[ahew_kha]

[She's been there, done that, she's not judging in the slightest.

Except wondering what on Earth she was doing.]

... At this point I will take any answers that anyone has. [There's the briefest bit of a smile, seeming forced. She's doing her best out here, it's fine.]

The being somewhere you're not supposed to be part or the being translated automatically part?

[torinoko]

Both. I've also been responsible for the translation--in that case, it was a combination of magic embedded into commonplace technology.

[Listen, there is a meowscarada here and she demands pets all the time, Misaki's doing her best.]

Being outside the...reality I was born in has happened to me a few times. In my case it is inevitable that I will return--I am intrinsically linked to it. Sooner or later, I will be brought back. Which I admit, will sound at odds with what I think of fate, but this is something I had chosen to do to myself...

video;

[singlespacedad]

Where I'm from, we have translating droids. I assumed that it's something similar here, except it's small and everyone has one.

[Just going to ignore those other questions.]

video

[islandshore]

It wasn't always like this. There was a brief time back in the day where there was no translation. Not spoken translation, anyway.

[It's been over a decade, so he pauses for a moment, bringing a hand to his forehead as he sifts through hazy memories.]

Anyway, you can chalk it up to divine intervention, I guess. Maybe Arceus wised up and realized how inconvenient it was. As for leaving... yeah, you basically end up the way you were before.

video/ancient egyptian;

[thetombkeeper]

[You can bet he's lurking around the replies, taking notes of anything in particular than catches his interest.

That isn't what's actually important though. He isn't very good at comforting people but he is good at reading them. He can see this is weighing on her, moreso in a morbidly curious manner than anything but... he should still check to see if she's doing alright.]

Kisara...

Forever ancient Egyptian

[ahew_kha]

[Ah, she shouldn't be surprised that he's at least checking in on her. Her expression remains in a forced smile, though that's probably not going to last too long.]

Mm? I'm merely thinking, there's nothing wrong, I promise. [Too bad she was never good at lying.]

[thetombkeeper]

[He's unsure if he should call her out or not. Maybe in a polite way...? At least he's not using his usual Mariky tone with her.]

There's obviously something on your mind if you're asking about that.

[ video - un: quibblingmagic ]

[looneylovegood]

I had just assumed it was some sort of magic, since that's how these things work for us back home. But, the creatures here are also rather magical in a way.

[psionicmolotov]

I would guess some sort of dweomer, for us to all speak the same language despite not coming from the same worlds. Perhaps an exchange for having other abilities stolen from us.

[ He's salty about this whole 'he can't be a psychic murdermachine anymore' thing. He aint even touching the dead-alive state, that seems like a Touching On Something Sensitive question and therefore not his business. ]

And this is another world. Why would it not have other gods? It would make less sense for there to be no gods, meddling as they are.