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[lightningbearer]

Oh look, it's another... very off-center and somewhat awkwardly angled image. As is typical of pretty much any time Geddoe attempts to use his 'gear.

Actually, wait, on second thought, there appears to be a reason for that: the feed isn't centered on Geddoe's face because instead it's focused on his shoulder, where a now palm-sized Heliolisk and Raichu are both perched. And looking kind of pleased about it, to be quite honest.

"Something weird going on for anyone else?"

Please tell him it's not just him.

Comments

[lightningbearer]

"Have to wonder if all of us from other worlds just being here disturbs things. The person who made the machine was a local, but other than her everyone who got pulled back in time by it were Otherworlders."

It really wouldn't not surprise Geddoe at all if the local powers that be are not fans of the intrusion, even if they can't do much about it.

[lorentzforcego]

It might but not to the level where the Gods find it annoying, which is why they pull us in. Or it was one God in particular that handles that.

Curious that it mostly only affected us Otherworlders... Hm. Do you know if there are any reports on that incident on the network?

[lightningbearer]

"I'm not so sure it's something like that, us being here doesn't seem to benefit anything."

Except maybe... Eh, that's a thread to investigate on his own time, not to sit around speculating on.

"You mean the one we're using? Only stuff people talked about when we got back. The locals don't use it."

[lorentzforcego]

A social experiment is what it seems like to me. With convenient God powers.

I wasn't expecting anything of use from the locals. A pity no one tried to make a study of it though.

[lightningbearer]

"An experiment?"

Geddoe's from a medieval fantasy world, the concept of a social experiment is not one he's familiar with.

[lorentzforcego]

Yes. To see how we Otherworlders would react to such a situation. Would we turn against the one who brought us to the past or work together and find a way home?

[lightningbearer]

"... What good would that do?"

He's kind of not really seeing what benefit or use that would be, especially to a god.

[lorentzforcego]

Nothing for us, of course.

It's like when scientists collect a certain number of a species and study them to try and understand them better.

[lightningbearer]

You'll have to give Geddoe a moment to parse that. He's clever enough, but he's from a decidedly pre-modern world, some of these terms and concepts aren't familiar to him.

"They do that because they have a use for that information, don't they? What point would there be for a god?"

[lorentzforcego]

[Monsoon is patient and more than willing to explain if Geddou needs him to.]

Correct.

If I were a God, it would be for my own amusement. To see what bizarre and clever things my creations came up with. Obviously I can't speak for the Gods here but I would imagine that's a part of their reasoning. Why else would they pull in people from different worlds if not to study them?

[lightningbearer]

"Who said a god brought us here?"

Mind you, as far as Geddoe's heard there isn't any solid information either way, but by that same token, there's not enough to convince him of that theory, either.

"And why would a god want to do things for the same reasons as a human?"

[lorentzforcego]

It's the easiest answer to explain our arrival here. Outside of this being a simulation, that is.

I don't suppose you're familiar with the Greek pantheon and other polytheistic religions, are you?

[lightningbearer]

Geddoe raises an eyebrow.

"The easiest would be gate magic, but they don't seem to have magic here."

The key word there being seem. Some of the technology absolutely replicates things that would be magic in Geddoe's world, to say nothing of Pokemon and their powers.

Though it probably also says something about Geddoe that he says that utterly matter-of-factly, as if such concepts as gates between worlds are nothing new to him.

"Never heard of it. That something from your world?"

Well, polytheistic religions he'd know his own world's versions of, except the term 'polytheistic' itself is new to him.

[lorentzforcego]

Gate magic. That would fall under the realm of this place being a nexus, which begs the question of who opened the gate then. Hmm...

[This obviously has him delighted. Another theory to bounce off of his boss when he's done here.]

Yes, it is. Although most have been snuffed out and the label "pagan" is somewhat of autonomous with live-action role players, as they call them. Essentially it's a religion where you worship more than just one God. It's very similar in concept to the pokemon Gods I've read about where certain ones encompass specific spheres.

[lightningbearer]

There are, well, a number of points Geddoe could question or respond to within all that. Even after factoring in his own limited expertise with much of the subject matter. But the point he starts with...

"Don't most places acknowledge at least a few gods or spirits?"

There might be some cultural disconnect, here.

[lorentzforcego]

[Poor, poor Geddou.]

Thanks to monotheism, no. My world's main religions are the ones that follow an all one-true God.

I'm personally not a religious man but I keep an open mind on these sort of subjects.

[lightningbearer]

"There's some places like that." Well, probably not exactly like it, but as far as Geddoe can glean from that explanation. "Most still know there's others, even if they just have one patron in particular."

Where does Geddoe sit on all this? Well, he does have what plenty of people in his world would consider a lightning god in his right hand. Just take a guess.

"The locals treat some of the legendary Pokémon like gods, sure, but they're still Pokémon, not humans. I doubt they'd do things for the kinds of reasons a human would."

[lorentzforcego]

[He knew a man with the codename of a lightning God so there you go.]

As, see. Monotheism denounces all other Gods, even other religions. Would you believe they've even had wars over it?

I believe ancient Egypt had animals and humans and hybrids of the two as their Gods. If the pokémon did indeed create this world, they are capable of some form of human-level sentience.

And in this world, who's to say the Gods didn't create humans as well?

[lightningbearer]

"People have wars over less."

Far, far less.

"Why just make assumptions, though? There's people here who've been here long enough to meet some of those legendary Pokémon. If you want to know what they think, get information before jumping to conclusions."

Honestly, Geddoe doesn't particularly care about the matter. But he also doesn't see any point in continuing to debate hypotheticals when he knows there's more information to be had.

[lorentzforcego]

Quite true.

[He tilts his head.]

I'm simply curious, is all. I do apologize if I've offend you in any manner. It wasn't my intention to do so or to jump to conclusions. Moreso just to bounce thoughts and ideas off of someone.

[lightningbearer]

Geddoe just shakes his head a bit.

"You're just jumping to conclusions too quickly. If you try to gather information with too much of an outcome in mind, you're likely to miss things, especially if they don't seem to agree with it. Ask questions first, then make conclusions."

He'd frankly be quite pleased if someone figured out the whole matter of how and why people wind up here. He just has some doubts about the 'whims of a Pokégod' theory and if it is true is none too keen on dealing directly with that nonsense himself.

One godlike being messing directly with his life is already more than enough.

[lorentzforcego]

[Honestly, the one theory he thinks fits is that this is some strange form of afterlife considering both he and his boss died before waking up here. A simulation isn't out of the question though.]

Oh, of course! I'm open to all ideas. I've simply found, in my world whether it be works of fiction or otherwise, people are more receptive to the prospect of world hopping if a deity is behind it rather than a human.

[lightningbearer]

Ah, now there's the disconnect: being from a world where magic that can open portals between worlds to summon monsters exists, to Geddoe the idea of a rogue mage is actually the more believable and logical explanation.

"I'm guessing your world doesn't have magic either, like this one?"

[lorentzforcego]

It does not. Magic is a work of fiction. The technology is very similar although the teleportation is new. Now that is impressive.

[lightningbearer]

"Almost like magic?"

Total deadpan delivery, there.