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stones of farspeech

Hey there, islands. Happy new year and all that, if that even matters. I mean, the holidays don't seem to matter here but there's a calendar so...?

[There's a pause, and Lance clears his throat.]

Anyways, this isn't about that! Recently I put in a request with the good ol' Storyteller because I was reminded of something from back home and thought, with all the crazy things that happen here, something that's a little more chill and lowkey might be good?

It's this, uh, game? Called Monsters & Mana. It's a little hard to explain and it's super nerdy, but it's pretty fun! You roll dice and pretend to be a character and go on an adventure the Lore Master puts together for you.

I've got a lot of books for it and everything we'd need to play it, but I don't want to just keep it to myself? So if anyone wants to take a look at it or play it just hit me up!

See ya!

[If the emojis were Free, there would be a sparkle and a heart emoji. Unfortunately, they're not.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oh god, there are types? And they're bugs? Lance doesn't recall Lillie mentioning that, but she's pretty sure she was right in saying Kosmo was a pokemon, so...

Hmm.]

Lillie told me a bit about them. They seem to be a pretty prevalent species on your planet, though there might be a few in my universe, too.

What--...really?

[It always boggles Guzma's mind when people from other worlds seem to know about Pokemon. Or even have them inhabit theirs. Like, it makes sense in the long run - those Ultra Wormholes are basically portals to other worlds - and Pokemon do exist in lands outside of Alola, too. It'd give reason to them existing in other worlds entirely, actually. Still, bizarre to come across.]

What sort'a 'mons you got on your planet, homeboy? Anything you can detail? I can look it up. [In fact, there's a loud shuffling from the iStone as Guzma rummages through his belongings to fetch his Pokedex, powering it up after a few whacks. Sigh, he really should get this thing repaired somehow...]

The universe is a big place! And there's so many different realities on top of it.

[So many realities. Have you truly even lived if you haven't met an alternate reality version of your friend and discovered the dark legacy of your AU bff?]

Keith, he's got this...cosmic wolf, Kosmo. It can teleport itself and other people around, kind of like Nebby does? But it's way bigger and wolfier than Nebby.

[Wait, a wolf that...teleports? Now, Guzma hasn't been outside of Alola, and he doesn't know every Pokemon that exists in the world, but the Pokedex he's been given does have a listing of all the known species, and he's perused it often when he's bored with nothing else to do, or just when he's feeling curious. What this kid is talking about sounds like no Pokemon that exists in his world at all.]

Uh, I...don't think that's a Pokemon, homeboy. I mean, the only thing what comes remotely close to that is a legendary Pokemon found in Johto, and it don't so much as teleport as it does run as fast as the wind. [Suicune. He's talking about Suicune.] And I'm pretty sure there's only one'a then legendaries what exist in the world - any world - at any given point. Kinda what makes them, y'know...legendary?

To be fair- [Lance doesn't know what a Pokemon is-] Kosmo seems pretty...legendary-ish.

Keith found him on a whale in a time vortex in space, which seems almost as fantastical as running as fast as the wind. [what's a johto] Lillie said he sounded kind of like a Pokemon, so I don't know.

[Ah, now he's starting to understand. This is perfect example of mistaken identity, or someone being incapable of properly differentiating two very different types of creature, or comparing the two to make processing its existence easier. Guzma did the same thing when he first arrived on the island, and he still does it to a degree with some things - comparing various creatures to Pokemon that share similarities.]

Dude, being like a Pokemon and actually being a Pokemon are two different things entirely. Pretty sure Lil was just making the comparison since she don't know nothing else. We only got Pokemon on our world, makes sense to compare things here to what'cha got back home, yeah? Did the same thing myself when I first got here.

Now, if'n y'all can describe the furball, I can try'n look it up in my 'dex. That'll give us a real answer, but it, uh...might take a while. There's well over 800 known species of Pokemon in my world, homie.

[The universe is vast and complicated, and that's Lance's only defense over this Pokemon misconception.

That and he really wants to see a Pokemon battle. Those sound cool.]

Guess that makes sense, yeah. Like thinking you'd see something in space that reminds you of Earth...

[He trails off for a moment.]

Uh. He's big? He's got, like, dark blue fur with a brighter blue stripe and yellow eyes.

[Shit, boy, if you just up and ask Guzma to show you a Pokemon battle, he absolutely will - this guy is DTF(ight) all day every day. He has two strong battlers and often pits them against each other to train and hone their unique skills.

The description makes him pause, and Guzma clicks his tongue trying to think. Honestly, it sounds like a few Pokemon he's seen, and there's a bit of clicking and beeping, faint though it may be, from the other side of the stone as Guzma searches through his Pokedex.]

Sounds like maybe a Glaceon...but them don't know how to teleport, and neither do Manectric. Hey, homeboy, how 'bout you come'n meet me by the mana pool and I can show you the different species of dog and canine types'a Pokemon what we got recorded in the ol' Dex here. [And he waves it around, still a bit oblivious that there's no picture on these things.]

[You don't just ask people to fight. He's not like Keith!

Even though he really wants to see one in his life.]

The Dex? [What...what is that...] But sure, no problem. If Kosmo's not in there that just adds to the mystery.

[Because, seriously, he has a lot of questions about that wolf and no answers.]

[You sure as heck do in his world. Are expected to, actually, on sight. More so when you're Guzma, but details.]

Pokedex - kinda like an electronic encyclopedia for all the known and recorded species of Pokemon back home in my world. Got lucky with this one, it even includes some'a the Legendary Pokemon...thought to exist only in mythos and fantasy. And who knows, maybe your mutt is a yet undiscovered type'a Pokemon?

See you soon. [He chuckles, clearly sarcastic about their dog being a Pokemon, but hey, who is he to say? The possibility definitely exists, after all. Guzma ends the connection and goes to wait for Lance to show up. It'll take him far less time, considering Guzma was at home on the islets and the mana pool is just a short walk away from where he lives. He's waiting under the shade of a tall palm tree, leaning against its trunk.]

[Sounds super fake and like something aliens do!!]

Wouldn't be the craziest thing to happen.

[Lance isn't quite certain, either - Kosmo is definitely of a different world, and maybe Pokemon are one of the cross universal constants. He doesn't know! He's not an expert on these things. All he knows is that Kosmo seems to be one of a kind.

It doesn't take Lance very long to get to the mana pool, and he offers Guzma a wave in greeting as he jogs up to him.]

Let's get down to the bottom of this, huh?

[The wave is enough indication that this is the guy he's waiting for. Guzma nods his head and throw up a single hand, muttering a quiet "Yo" as he slides over. He doesn't have much on him, but he does pull out something small and square. It's uh...definitely seen better days, certainly, what with its dents, scratches, faded color and cracked screen, but its functionality is still...

Decent, at best. Workable (with a few smacks, resets, and curse words flung at it).]

'Bout time you showed up. Lets get the party started, yeah? Here, I already pulled up a search on all quadrupedal Pokemon... [To which he shows Lance a rather complex list. There are definitely some pretty bizarre creatures in there, but none that look like Kosmo from just a cursory glance.] I can filter it down even further, too. What color is the mutt?

[Guzma, please, it hasn't been that long.]

They're blue. Kind of a dark blue? With a brighter blue stripe.

[There's a brief pause, as Lance considers things.]

What if Kosmo is a pokemon that wouldn't be in this because we come from different realities?

[Blue it is, he can't exactly get overly details with the filters, but it's not difficult to pick out the ones that are specifically blue dogs in the list. And as he passes the device over to Lance, instructing him to just scroll down as he looks through, there are only a few Pokemon listed through the filter:

Vaporeon
Glaceon
Manectric
Suicune

Not a one looks like Kosmo, and Guzma hums thoughtfully, chewing his lip and scratching his head.]

Yo, man, it's possible, there's some weird critters out in worlds beyond even my own in Alola, believe me....I had a run in with a few of 'em. [He grimaces, then quickly moves on, not caring to dwell on that subject.] But all Pokemon are the same, meaning they act the same, and use the same type of moves. You ever seen your mutt do anything other'n teleport? Like, can it shoot lightning, fire, water? Can it lift things with them trippy psychic powers? Or freeze stuff in ice?

And...does it come in something what looks like this? [And there it is, Guzma's showing off one of his Pokeballs--or, well...Ultra Balls. Most of his Pokemon were caught in Ultra Balls.] Not all POkemon like staying in there balls, so that ain't a big defining point, but it's the method of carrying 'em around that's most well known to people in my world. Even in other realities they store 'em in balls kinda like these.

Edited 2019-02-20 01:11 (UTC)

Well. [He pauses as he looks through the Pokemon, before looking back up at Guzma and holding the Pokedex back out with a shake of his head.] It's not my mutt. It's Keith's.

Said he found it on a space whale, and I've definitely never seen anything like that.

[He motions at the Ultra Ball. He's curious about how it works - maybe not as curious as Hunk or Pidge would have been, and he's sad they're not there to see something that houses animals that fits in your hand - but as it is he's got no idea how something like that could even work.]

So I guess he's something that's as weird as a Pokemon, but he's not a Pokemon.

I have no idea who that is.

[Guzma responds flatly, raising a brow at Lance. Really, my guy, does he look the sociable type? I mean, come on. He's a monochromatic nightmare and looks like he could intimidate a brick wall with a glare alone.]

Anyway. Don't sweat what your pooch is and isn't, yeah? It's still special, and it's yo--uh...your homie's.

[He shrugs, pocketing the Pokedex and looking Lance up and down and the look on his face. He's not sure what the emotion is - disappointment? Sadness? Ugh, Guzma's not good with this sort of stuff, but he rolls his eyes and sighs, shaking his head.]

'Sides, Pokemon ain't nothing but weird critters what got special powers to defend themselves in the wild 'fore they're caught and trained. Y'all said you found the mutt out in space, yeah? Well, there's legends what say certain Pokemon exist only in space. What I call Pokemon other people call monsters...or aliens, or whatever else words they got.

[Nothing nice thus far, hence his grimace.]

Y'know, Keith? Kind of emo, been here a while, really awful mullet? Keith?

[It's not surprising that Guzma doesn't know Keith - his leader isn't exactly a social butterfly.]

Pokemon sound pretty alien to the creatures we had back on Earth, but...Earth animals were just as weird to aliens, so. [He shrugs.] Kind of sucks we don't have anything convenient to put Kosmo in. He's so big.

[Guzma shrugs lazily, not really caring either way if he knows this mysterious man named 'Keith' or not. If he was important, Guzma would have remembered his face and name - that's just how it is for a guy like him. If there ever was a time they met, the poor guy didn't make enough of an impact on Guzma to be remembered.

But he doesn't dwell on it. People here come and go like leaves in the wind, and he knows that...a little too well. Guzma's here to focus on the here and the now, and the conversation at hand.]

Heh, believe me, it's a task tryin'a explain to all you numskulls what a Pokemon even is...they just like any other animal, but got powers what make 'em unique, I guess. [He shrugs again.] But having a Pokeball to keep 'em contained is definitely nice. There'd be no way I'd fit Golisopod into that tiny hut me n' Lillie live in. Big guy's even larger than I am.

[And Guzma stand a whopping 6'3". He's a giant. Golisopod is only a few inches taller. Four, to be exact, though he's wider and has more bulk.] BUt it was developed by scientists to convert a Pokemon's, like....shape? Atomic...thing--tch, I dunno, it's a bunch'a nerd vomit, but basically it converts their forms into data and compresses it down to a smaller size, enough to fit inside one'a these comfortably.

What's a Golisopod?

[Does it...have pods??

He raises an eyebrow at the explanation of the balls, if you could call it that. He doesn't get, is pretty sure he'd never get it, but he knows if Pidge or Hunk were here they'd love to get their hands on one and figure out the technology.

He misses them.]

And that still works here? That seems more amazing than anything else.

[What's a Golisopod?

What's a Golisopod?

Oh...oh, honey. Guzma was hoping you'd ask. The sinister grin that slithers its way onto his face is telling, and he clicks the button on the center of the Pokeball without a word, though a tiny heh might make its way from between his teeth.]

Edited (OOPS WRONG ICON) 2019-03-10 17:04 (UTC)

[The top part of the ball snaps open when the release is triggered, and a beam of red light shoots out from it, growing and shifting until is forms a shape. A large shape. As the light fades, a massive - and honestly quite intimidating looking - insectoid appears with a resounding thud on the sand. It utters a loud bellow, almost like an angry gator, and flexes its thicker arms, twitching those dark claws before blinking several times and beginning to groom its antennae.]

This is a Golisopod. My Golisopod to be precise. [Guzma smacks the big bug fondly on the side of its hard shell.] Nice entrance, my guy.

[Golisopod grumbles, letting out a long exhale before yawning. +n+ What did you wake me for?]

[Lance isn't expecting that much fanfare, to be honest. He's not really expecting much - something's in the ball, and something's gonna come out of the ball, but asides from that there's not much he can imagine.

What comes out is utterly alien, and in a way that's more familiar than if a Golisopod had just been, like, a cat or a dog. It almost reminds Lance of a Robeast - the plates and the purple don't seem all that out of place for one of the Witch's creations - but on a much smaller scale.

It's still much larger than he is, though, and he can't keep the awe from his voice.]

Oh, man! That thing's amazing!

[He doesn't quite bounce on his feet, but it's a near thing. Because there's something Guzma had said, about what made Pokemon Pokemon.]

What can it do?

[The praise effects both parties, though it's Guzma who preens a bit more obviously than the actual Pokemon. Heck yeah his partner is amazing! He's a fucking badass, and a chance to show off how in-freaking-credible Golisopod is comes not often enough. More people are scared or grossed out by the massive isopod, not wanting anything to do with him despite his calm and gentle nature.]

Well, it can fight, for one. Big guy's my heavy hitter - I mean, among the other members of my party back home, but my main man here. [He whistles sharply, and Golisood seems to stand at attention very quickly, suddenly awake and very alert.] Give the good man a demo, yeah? Let's start off strong with a Waterfall.

[Nodding, Golisopod ambles his way toward the shore until he's about waist deep in the water, breathing in and out slowly. Guzma pushes Lance back a bit with a quick mutter of: "beware of the splash zone, yo" as rather suddenly, the water around the huge Pokemon begins to bubble and churn...then shoot up like a geyser, as Golisopod climbs the pillar of water effortlessly, higher and higher - he must be a good fifty, sixty feet up - then comes spinning back down like a corkscrew with his sharpened claws impacting the sand and water with a thunderous crash.

Three point landing.]

[This is like his childhood dreams coming true. Pocket monsters that will fight for you? That's incredible.

He manages to keep quiet during the Waterfall, but he crows with delight at the landing.]

Whoa! That's so cool!

[He bounces on his heels.]

What else can it do? It's gotta be able to do stuff that's way more cool, right?!

stones of farspeech

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