01. video
[ There seem to be two Pokemon on this dispatch! You get a sense of both a Hisuian Typhlosion AND a Hisuian Zoroark, though the perspective is a little dizzying before settling down into (mostly) one psychic perspective. The Typhlosion's, probably; it's mostly his perspective with a vague sense of what he thinks he looks like now. Psychic pearls are hard, who knew? ]
Good afternoon, fellow passengers! I am Ingo, and this is Emmet - my brother.
[ So so smooth, it comes so naturally to introduce someone as his family member! ]
We are both from a world with Pokemon originally! We were humans there, and I'm afraid we do not have any idea how this might have happened - this is not the sort of thing that is supposed to be possible! But we would like to offer our help in navigating these new tracks! Between the two of us, we can help to identify your species and typing, as well as other facts about your new forms! We are also both very familiar with Pokemon battling! If you wish to learn to fight, we can provide assistance! I'm very excited to have battles in this new way, and the more people who can participate, the more fun it will be!
If you would like to speak in person, we are both in the Oran Berry Guild!
[ The perspective warps and shifts a bit, as you see Emmet moving forward, and also Emmet's own perspective as he does so. ]
— I am Emmet. What Ingo says is true! Yup! But also, we are willing to come to you if necessary? It would not be a good idea to start a battle near any housing, after all.
[ Emmet, it seems, is a man of much fewer words than his brother! At least when they're in the same space, anyway. His address is also smooth, very smooth, picking up after Ingo's like clockwork.
... for those who have already met them both and / or have heard at least some amount of their circumstances already, isn't there some kind of explanation missing? Oh well, must not be important. ]
(( Responses may come from either or both of them! ))
Good afternoon, fellow passengers! I am Ingo, and this is Emmet - my brother.
[ So so smooth, it comes so naturally to introduce someone as his family member! ]
We are both from a world with Pokemon originally! We were humans there, and I'm afraid we do not have any idea how this might have happened - this is not the sort of thing that is supposed to be possible! But we would like to offer our help in navigating these new tracks! Between the two of us, we can help to identify your species and typing, as well as other facts about your new forms! We are also both very familiar with Pokemon battling! If you wish to learn to fight, we can provide assistance! I'm very excited to have battles in this new way, and the more people who can participate, the more fun it will be!
If you would like to speak in person, we are both in the Oran Berry Guild!
[ The perspective warps and shifts a bit, as you see Emmet moving forward, and also Emmet's own perspective as he does so. ]
— I am Emmet. What Ingo says is true! Yup! But also, we are willing to come to you if necessary? It would not be a good idea to start a battle near any housing, after all.
[ Emmet, it seems, is a man of much fewer words than his brother! At least when they're in the same space, anyway. His address is also smooth, very smooth, picking up after Ingo's like clockwork.
... for those who have already met them both and / or have heard at least some amount of their circumstances already, isn't there some kind of explanation missing? Oh well, must not be important. ]
(( Responses may come from either or both of them! ))

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This means you can perform moves like Superpower and Earth Power. But also, you are not limited to just these? Most Pokemon can learn to use at least a couple of types that aren't their own or normal. With some effort, anyway. Some are more flexible than others. Or might need to be taught by someone more familiar. But I am pretty sure you can learn Thunderbolt and Ice Beam, for example.
[ which are exactly what they sound like, and very not 'clawing or biting the opponent physically' or 'apply poison to opponent'.
(he's picked up on a general sense of overall unease with poison throughout this conversation— also, the overheard mention of bad experiences with it— so... hooray, options?) ]
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So I can do the evolution? I meant to speak to Doctor Denne about it when I saw him next. It's good to have the confirmation.
Would I...still be walking on four legs if I changed?
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People fear creatures like these [ he very nearly says 'us', and the thought probably bleeds over a little, ] where you are from, then?
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[She keeps a clamp on the most, um, shocking of these metamorphoses in her memories. Because they're kind of body horror terrifying.]
But if the aether of an area has changed, it's usually because of an outside force tipping the balance - and this evolution sounds more natural than something put into motion by man.
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Aether? Wait, switch tracks, reverse for a moment— you are right that it is supposed to be natural. There are some conditions that are hard to find or replicate in the wild, yes. But generally wild Pokémon evolve all the time without the need for a human partner.
Maybe things aren't exactly the same here, but the guild leaders here are all evolved Pokémon.
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[Aw fuck please let there not be weird aether shit going on]
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[ in other words, the catalysts are many. ]
Ah, but. Some Pokemon, if made to evolve too soon. They miss out on being able to learn things they should have naturally done during a previous stage. Usually see this in Pokemon which use an outside catalyst to evolve, such as an elemental stone. Not entirely unfixable. They can still learn new, different things with proper instruction but the window for those skipped, instinctive things is lost.
[ meanwhile, the lurking thought of 'what is aether?' clings to the edges of the explanation. ]
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[Yeah picking up on that lurking thing.]
What you described is definitely not the kind of aether I am thinking of. Aether is...well, it is part of every living thing. It's not tangible, it's more of an energy assigned to a specific element. I don't quite remember the order they're supposed to go in, but they are Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Ice, Light, and Darkness. So long as those are in balance, you're fine - but if the environment skews towards, say, Lighting aether, you'll see that reflected in the land, in the weather...and eventually the living beings. That would cause a significant change.
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[ but... huh. that's... interesting? it almost gives him more questions than it does answers. is aether supposed to be in complete balance for all things? or does a fire type have more fire aether than the rest? or would it only be fire type at all because of the imbalance? ]
You mentioned eight elements. For Pokemon there are eighteen known types. Not counting the question-mark one that's just an umbrella for moves that can't be categorized otherwise. Or the Stellar thing they're doing in Blueberry Academy— sorry, sorry, derailing.
Anyway. Types are not ... they do not usually affect the environment the way you describe aether to. Many Pokemon can call rain on demand. Kyogre does it just by existing. So much that if left unchecked it can cause great floods. But I would not say that is an imbalance of 'water energy' so much as just an ability they have?
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Hm...then perhaps, aside from how they look, aether and Pokemon don't have much in common. Or, maybe it works completely differently. I'm not...I have never been a scholar, so I couldn't say for sure.
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[ he thought he loosely understood the idea of aether for a moment but apparently it turns out he was not, in fact, on the right track. ]
Because that is what Pokemon are. Living. Mostly living. There are some ghost types that are questionable but for the sake of clarity we will ignore them right now.
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[But maybe, in some form, that does mean Pokemon are aetheric beings. But belonging to specific aspects doesn't corrupt them like it does where she's from? Perhaps they can channel it differently, or have grown over time to not be harmed by it...Emmet does get a sense of these thoughts as Firoza mulls them over, mostly because she doesn't have the wherewithal to clamp down on errant musings when the concepts are so nebulous.]
...Mm...it's interesting to think about it like that...
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[ Maybe a living glob of aether might actually be something like a ghost type, actually ... one of the ones without more solidly defined forms? The way Firoza's been explaining aether is very- all energy based, without ties to anything more solid, or at least it sounds that way, so Emmet's trying to put that together with the fact that they're talking about real, physical beings here. ]
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[She is...trying her best...!]
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So aether is kind of like ... typed soul energy or life force, [ maybe mostly life force but not quite, she says it's in everything after all, ] but it isn't necessarily? Since you mention souls as a separate thing. But it is also capable of warping them. Not just internally but physically as well. And it affects the surroundings, even the parts that have no living component.
[ like the weather. ]
Am I following you right?
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Was there anything else you wanted to ask?
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That is to say. I am willing, yes.
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[Said with a centered confidence only someone used to battle might have.]
My name is Firoza. Where ought we meet, and when do we begin?
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Very good! You will probably have to wait until Ingo and I finish up with the others first. Then we can meet up... hm, you are with one of the other guilds, yes? Maybe somewhere in between the two of us, there are some decent clear areas just outside of the city.
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[Lv 1 Tree Stump Dummy]
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[ may the level 1 tree stump dummies see much use during their time here, ]
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