01: Testing, 1, 2, 3...

[truthdecided]

[Upon receiving his Grumpearl, Akechi seizes the opportunity to test it. It seems pertinent to get a grasp on the communications technology, even if it's nowhere near as direct as a cell phone.

So, if he thinks, will that be enough? Akechi hums, then tries broadcasting his thoughts.]

Greetings. This is Akechi. I suspect a great many of you encountered me here and there. I'm the... "Rookidee" who was investigating the strange side effects of the various clothing articles and accessories.

[As he tries to figure out what to say, a song starts to play in his head.

Shit. Wait. Is that also being broadcast? Shit. Okay. Time to reedirect his thoughts to more sophisticated music.

Erm. Anyway.]

Please disregard that interruption. As I was saying, I've a vested interest in investigating our present set of circumstances. Recently, Mightyena-san approached me with an offer to join the Oran Berries, so that is where I'll be residing for the near future.

However, regardless of guild allegiances, I believe we could all benefit from using this network to share findings. To start us off, here is what I have learned after speaking to two individuals more familiar with the nature of Pokémon:

First, it would seem there are worlds where humans hold more authority over Pokémon, though their relationship seems more mutually beneficial on slightly more equal footing than humans and pets (Emmet-san and Ingo-san, feel free to correct me if necessary).

Moreover, there are a vast array of different types, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, and certain "moves" that might seem unassuming, such as a wag of the tail or a snarl can and do affect our combat capabilities.

Thirdly, many species of Pokémon undergo a metamorphosis called evolution, not to be confused with Darwin's theory of evolution. Those of us who took on smaller and feebler forms may be able to reach even greater heights...

But in a broader sense, it seems there is some power at play that translates our speech regardless of our native tongue. I also heard of "legendary" and "mythical" Pokémon, though whether or not they have anything to do with our arrival here remains to be seen.

I suppose the next question is what exactly determined our present forms. I can see some reason behind my avian appearance, and Ren is fairly cat-like in his own right, but I obviously can't speak for everyone else.

[As he mentions Ren, there's a flicker of an image of a Sprigatito and then a very embarrassing memory he did not intend to broadcast. The jazzy music also gets a little louder before he decides to end the message.]

Comments

i'm not sorry

[seacub]

[Emporio................is patient.

Well okay mostly he's shy and under socialized and incredibly overwhelmed even now that he's moved into a house where each inhabitant, including the Enormous Dragon, can have their own space. But he's patient!!! He's letting that pearl broadcast and learning!!

and then decides on the worst possible test song to play]

........................

[Ohoh.] Heh...Huh. I guess that's how it works.

[He needs this.]

[truthdecided]

[Um... wait. Is that—

Akechi smacks a wing over his face, grumbling.]

...A Rick Roll. Of all the ways you could respond, you chose Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up.

[Well. Points for creativity...?]

[seacub]

Heheh, of course. What if it didn't work?

[truthdecided]

I suppose it was an effect way to gauge reactions.

[You know what? Just for that, he'll project another song through his thoughts. A meme for a meme.]

The internet is a truly fascinating place.

[seacub]

[There's the sense that someone is listening intently.]

...Huh... ....Oh!

I didn't think that one was that big. Neat.

[truthdecided]

To be fair, I'm from 2017. That's plenty of time for "Geddan" to grow in popularity.

[Which begs the question of when Emporio's from, but perhaps the answer will reveal itself naturally.]

[seacub]

Oh- It was 2012 for me....

[Was that a faint recollection of 'happy birthday', IGNORE THAT.]

It was only March, though. I'd only started seeing that one around...well. Basically a few months earlier.

[truthdecided]

Hmm... That does sound reasonable.

[2012 feels like an eternity ago, now that he thinks about it...]

Interesting how there are small threads of commonality, despite our differing realities.

[seacub]

Yeah!

I'm kind of tempted to ask about comics and shows...but I probably shouldn't...

[Considering how many properties Emporio could feasibly fourth-wall by accident: He Definitely Shouldn't.]

[truthdecided]

Have you heard of Phoenix Ranger Neo Featherman? It's quite popular with Japanese children, and I believe it got a western palpation...

Falcon Force, I believe?

[Well, the current iteration of Featherman is, at any rate, but it's not as though Akechi's had the luxury to keep up in recent years.]

rolls 19 on 'can he tell thats a sentai by name' YESSS

[seacub]

Falcon Force...

[Hmmmmm.] ...it doesn't ring a bell, but it would've been harder for me to keep up with any TV related stuff- and I know unless it gets really big, it can be a bit niche to come through my own channels...

[That is, the channels of internet. He might have been made of time, but there's still only so much of it!]

With a name like that though...

[An amused feeling comes through the pearl.]

It's 'sentai' isn't it! That's a super sentai series!

AWW YE. Embrace the joy and whimsy, Emporio...

[truthdecided]

It is, yes.

[Beware, Emporio. You have activated Goro Akechi's stop secret, nostalgic interest.]

The Featherman franchise dates back to the late 80's, and it's gone through many iterations over the years. It's one of those brands that always reinvents itself to keep with the times, even crossing over with other sentai series on occasion.

[An image of masked heroes accompanies his thoughts.]

Of course, birds are the main motif, regardless of era. Though the exact birds and colors may vary, that much remains consistent.

it was so hard to watch video on his horrible '85 :[[

[seacub]

Huhhh....

I still don't recognize the name, but maybe this is...

[Behold....the vague images of various Power Rangers...]

...Maybe this is something we have that's adjacent? To the other? It's not quite the same, and they definitely use motifs that aren't birds...

OH NO, BUDDY...

[truthdecided]

[Hmm... Yes. The imagery is evocative, right down to the bright colors.]

I'm not surprised. There are sentai heroes based on all manner of motifs. Dinosaurs, mythical beasts... Even playing cards.

[seacub]

Sounds right. I wish I could take another look...maybe it was just one of the ones I missed.

[Alas, he super cannot.]

[truthdecided]

Perhaps another time.

[This world obviously makes that rather difficult, after all.]

Come to think of it, the lack of modern technology may be one of the greatest hurdles. Cell phones, computers, and television are such mundane aspects of life.

[Nothing Akechi can't live without, but it still stands out in his mind.]

[seacub]

Right. It's a little difficult to pin down an exact era that matches with what we see here...the construction says one thing, but the capabilities of everyone living here says another. A huge part of what marked certain structures according to their time was just...how they could be put together after all.

[truthdecided]

We also have to factor in how Pokémon abilities supplement the natural resources that influence developments in technology, medicine, and building.

[The addition of 'magical abilities' do change the capabilities of a civilization.]

[seacub]

Exactly. The water is really muddy...and it might honestly be better not to even think of it next to human development? So much of it on both sides would be driven by what's needed, and right now a bit part of that is apparently still just survival.

[A look to the various buildings and establishments.] In that sense, this is all really impressive.

[truthdecided]

Especially given the sheer diversity in size, abilities, and body types.

[A quiet grunt of a laugh escapes him.]

Birds and tunnels don't really go hand in hand, but I do commend Mightyena-san for taking in so many strays. It must be a logistical nightmare.

[seacub]

[Thinking about that...............]

At least with a tunnel, it's possible to just...put people together?

Polteageist gives everyone their own apartment unit, so to speak. It's like a rowhouse?

I'm not sure how they plan them out, but even though we're such different sizes, they all share walls with at least a few other pokemon, even keeping the same amount of proportional space.

[Only three were taken in by Lum, yes.

But one of them is frickin' 7-plus foot.]

[truthdecided]

I've slept in fairly uncomfortable positions before, so it isn't a deal breaker so much as an inconvenience.

[He likes privacy and comfort, and he was admittedly spoiled during his time under Shido...

Not that he'd ever want to go back.]

A.B.A-san is incredibly large, but the tunnels are at least spacious enough that it hasn't caused many problems yet. If your rooms are all equal in size, I can't imagine it's convenient for those larger in stature...

[Perrin comes to mind, because he certainly isn't in Oran.]

please lmk if I am the one who misread smth here jkhgfhg

[seacub]

Honestly this is the first time I've had a bed at all...

[why is the image of a piano appearing

emporio what the f-]

Oh- I uh, I think you misunderstood what I meant...We have our own suites, really. Front door, flower bed...they're only about the size of a small apartment, but they're still basically apartments.

What's weird about it is we still have walls attached to each other- so...I guess, my wall lines up with where the area 'shoulders up' for Perrin is?

[truthdecided]

That's rather alarming.

[Granted, given everything he'd heard from Emporio before, this isn't surprising, but...

Piano? What?

That soft, jazzy music from earlier creeps back into his thoughts.]

The lack of a bed, that is. Not the suites. If they're spacious enough for large Pokémon, that's surprisingly generous. I simply wasn't sure about the scale.

[seacub]

Well there wasn't a bed in the ghost room after all.

[THE PIANO CONTINUES TO LOOM, THREATENINGLY,]

Perrin's is definitely large enough for him though- and mine is...

[He tries picturing it to get the point across. It's...oh, it's certainly -cozy- but it's rather nice??? Huh.]

Mine feels a big big? I think it's for if I grow a lot more. I am 12...

[Though there's a sense that he's not really sure that's relevant in this case.]