video, backdated to March 5

[telewarped]

Hey, losers. This has definitely been one of the months I've had so far, but now I'm officially bored to death.

[There is a general air of malaise permeating this message, even if the voice of the Pokémon sending it—a gray-toned Mimikyu, currently stationed in what appears to be one of the Oran guild's dens—sounds casual and calm enough.]

At least one of you has to have a decent rec for how to kill time around here you can give me... Or just tag yourself. Whatever.

[At the words tag yourself, an image takes shape in your mind. It's astonishingly clear and will remain present in your head until your connection to this particular Grumpearl is broken.]

Later.

Comments

[outbounds]

[ the mental impression of a shrug? yes, the diverse population, that's a neat thing that's come up before. ]

The population of this place. It is a lot more diverse than the wild populations you would usually find back home. So many different species in one place, all intermingling with each other, it does not usually happen in the wild.

[ he can't imagine that even if the native fauna of say, route 4 were building secret settlements in very, verrrry secret locations, they'd have extensive documentation of cross-species compatibility and things to possibly note in any potential offspring from such pairings... maybe he's underestimating them but hm. hmmmm! ]

That is why I am not sure! This place is like and unlike where I come from. It might be like you said. That such a diverse population then would lead to that kind of information being kept, for uses such as the clinic here.

[ but how in-depth, who knows! does akechi want to do an internship or something under Dr. Denne to find out-- ]

[truthdecided]

There's also the mere fact that the Pokémon here are socially comparable to humans. They run businesses, they've built this city... The mere fact that they have archives of any sort speaks to their social and cultural evolution.

[After all, spoken language came before the written word, and there's plenty of evidence that they've passed that threshold.

Images of cave paintings flicker by with his thoughts, followed by humans telling stories around a fire and ancient hieroglyphs in some sort of tomb.

Mere concepts rather than tangible examples, of course.]

Egg groups aside, there's undoubtedly a wealth of culture and history tucked away in the archives. That, I think, is even more worthwhile.

[outbounds]

[ This conversational segue is fine enough, and Emmet will roll with the rerouting. It's a good springboard for the thought that's been off and on coming to him as of late. ]

Culture and history. Right. That reminds me. This place is pretty well established. Yup. But the maps are limited. Very limited. Verrrrry interestingly so.

[ Like, he gets that it might not have been a priority if they focused on building up the town first, but also, hmm. ]

Sure. The forest beyond the city is strange. It is difficult to navigate.

But all the Pokémon here had to get here somehow. Somewhen. It is difficult to believe all of these different Pokémon were already just here by the bay. So I wonder where they might have come from, and why those aren't marked on any of the maps.

[ Maybe a side effect of how the forest does its best to confuse those who travel through it? That depends on if the forest has always been like that, huh. Well, there are a lot of potential answers, maybe. Knowing which they could be; well, lots of questions, fewer answers. ]

[truthdecided]

[Hmm... Interesting, but he can't exactly dispute that point.

Images of the forest, overgrown and with its rage-inducing mushrooms pass through his thoughts.]

Now that you mention it, the lack of proper maps is rather strange, especially when combined with the diversity of Pokémon present here. Not all of them fit what you'd associate with cavernous, forested, and seaside habitats.

[outbounds]

[ Huh, Rage Powder mushrooms? (Are there Anoongus in the part of the forest Akechi explored?) They didn't run into those when they went; what the Rookidee catches brief flashes of in response is a thick haze of fog, the confusing notion of going in straight lines only to somehow end up looping around anyway, and also the ground crumbling away beneath one's paws.

Not that Emmet seems to be bothered by the recollection, at least not obviously, as the emotion projected steadily through the Grumpearl's connection remains a general, vague cheerfulness (if tinged by the only slightly reined in amount of restless energy that Shoka's already noted). ]

Not in the least! It would make a little more sense if we knew of other settlements and there was regular travel between them. But if there is then we do not know about it.

And they definitely seemed surprised when we showed up in the storm. So that is probably not it either.

[ And it doesn't seem like the surroundings here are host to a significant number of Pokémon you wouldn't reasonably expect to call them home? The case of the mysterious biodiversity of PMDland. ]