paladinlost | 100th moon [video]

[...Holy...shit, Cecil, where did you even get that thing - ]

...That looks nothing like anything that belongs here. Where'd you find it?

In a moment of madness, I tried wishing for the comfort and familiarity of my true home at one of those trees. This... was not quite what I hoped to obtain.

[Understatement of the century.]

Are all holy knights that well off?

I was likely to inherit it long before I became one, actually. Paladins do not receive payment or castles for simply being themselves, but as the Lord Captain of the Red Wings, I was one of the very few who could.

Secondary title then. Got it.

[...]

Congratulations on getting home back, I guess, even if it's not what you wanted it to be.

Thank you very much. I must say I never quite truly appreciated how large it was before. Realizing how much sweeping I'll have to do by myself was a shock, to say the least.

Yeah.

[This is...kind of awkward, not really because the conversation is unpleasant but more because it's not; how...do we do decent conversations without picking some sort of fight...]

At least we know the thing that's granting...whatever we're asking for isn't doing stuff halfway.

[Step 1: Spend the conversation pondering how this particular display of Pokéworld madness works.]

Which guarantees that it has more power than the average Pokémon. A Legendary, perhaps? Or some sort of spell cast on the trees?

Legendaries are what they call the local gods, right? It makes more sense to me that it'd be one of them, since the gods here are in the weird practice of actually interacting with humans and giving a damn about what they do other than "dying a lot."

I haven't seen too much straight-up magic. Maybe I've been looking in the wrong places, but...

The only potential magic I've seen here is whatever takes us from our worlds. Compared to that, granting wishes almost sounds simple. Though most of the legendaries we've seen have a strong link with nature, which would not quite fit in this case...

Ah, yeah...? I only really know about the...llama thing, and I was shown something else that looks like a kaiju or something, I've got no idea what they do.

There was also a bird that caused a flood in Olivine, those lovely dogs that completely perturbed the weather, those... golems, I believe, that brought about those terrible snowstorms... The llama is something of an exception, but then again it's also supposed to be the greatest of them all.

...So you've actually seen a lot of the local pantheon. You guys are better off than most people, then, even if they weren't doing what you wanted them to.

They were not the first deities I've personally met, but I must say they are the most sociable. Why, Entei even accepted my last steak when I met it, and helped shield me from the rain in thanks.

Huh. I've never met any, back home or otherwise - most I've got is a guy who knows a guy who might be God. Who knows with him, though.

...How can he not know for certain? Gods have a certain... presence.

I'm not going to try to start with the "our gods are different" crap, because it makes sense that they would be. Different worlds and all that. None of us have ever met God, though. So I don't know if this guy actually knows him or if he's just messing with us or what.

He claims he's second in line to the throne, though. So I imagine he knows that for a reason.

...Your royal families have special knowledge concerning the gods? That strikes me as unfair for others.

...Second in line for God's throne. Not...

[...]

We've got a hierarchy, but not like royalty and stuff.

...Second in line for- Your god has heirs and a finite time in that role? How does that work?

...Don't most of them?

[HOW...DOESN'T IT WORK...]

Cosmos and Chaos were simply themselves and would have remained gods forever, with no one to take over their roles when they were killed. That's... usually how it works, as far as I know.

[That sounds...really disorganized.]

...So what would happen if they got killed, then?

...Their world slowly destroyed itself the moment Cosmos died. I doubt Chaos' death did much to save it.

Oh.

[Because what do you even say to something like that.]

I'm going to guess their world is kept separate from yours?

Thankfully. Otherwise, it'd have been destroyed about two decades ago, and I'd not be here now.

[Kaneki can't really help but re-watch the video before actually responding, if only so he can get a better look at the castle in its entirety. It looks like it came straight out of a novel set in the middle ages, to say the least.]

That's incredible...is that castle yours?

It is my home, yes. I'd not seen it in nearly five years, but I never imagined it'd some day find its way to Celadon.

[Or that it'd become the best hide and seek playground ever, for that matter.]

[No kidding.]

Your Pokemon seem to like it, at least.

...A little too much, in certain cases. Eblan can disappear from my sight in a small house; will I ever manage to find her again in here?

If you pretend to give up looking for her after a while, she might show up. That works with some of my Pokemon.

Are those Pokémon prideful ninja who see avoiding their teammates' gaze for weeks as good practice?

Uh...no, not exactly. More like a Smeargle and a Yanma...

...The thought of a metre-long dragonfly hiding beneath a bed or inside a cupboard is surprisingly entertaining.

The funny thing is that he'd probably try that...

[He can easily picture Peter stuffing himself under the bed, pretty much in plain sight but violently hoping that he manages to go by undetected.]

Forget entertaining, then; the image is adorable.

[Or at least as adorable as a giant bug can be.]

Do his teammates play along with his hiding games?

Some of them do. I have a lot of others who don't really like to play around like that, too much. But I do have some younger Pokemon now who really seem to enjoy it.

Do they use their smaller size to their advantage during those games, or are they members of those unlucky species who are large from the moment they hatch?

They're a Trapinch and a Deerling, actually, so hiding isn't much of a problem for them. Peter, my Yanma, is actually the only one that's large enough to have trouble.

In other words, he's the oldest sibling playing with a handicap against the little ones, if not necessarily willingly.

Pretty much, yeah. I don't think he minds it much, though. They all seem to enjoy playing together, so that's what matters.

That it is. Wouldn't it be nice if every member of every team could get along so well?

It would. The rest of my team more than makes up for how well they get along, but...well, it's better than nothing, I guess.

Indeed. A team made up of nothing but screaming arguments and pranks in the middle of the night would quickly drive anyone mad.

I'm guessing you have a few of those, too?

My first two Pokémon have had a strong rivalry for nearly five years. It set the tone for quite a few relationships down the road.

[Gracious.]

Wow...five years? That's, ah...dedication.

They've improved over the years. To some degree, if you squint.

...That's a castle.

[Okay, that was a dumb thing to say, but Riku can't help it. He's just... speechless. That thing came outta nowhere. Why? How? When?

What Cecil may not realize is that he's actually standing right outsie the castle, having stepped out for a quick shopping trip.

Oh. He should probably say something else, though.]

You still need a hand?

The greatest castle ever built, if I'm allowed to say so. Home sweet home, as they say.

[Cecil indeed does not realize that Riku is so close by. From all the way up that tower, everyone on the ground is a little tiny.]

I do, yes. I've looked through every tower, but that still leaves the ground floor and the basements. Assuming she's not moving around, of course.

Heh. Not like I've got anything to compare it to.

[His fingers drum on his hip, as he contemplates what to do.]

And if she's anything like Enigma, then you're definitely gonna need the backup. Those frogs are way too fast for their own good.

I know. I once managed to lose track of her for fifteen days, inside my regular-sized house. I can only imagine the possibilities she sees in musty old basements.

[What he imagines is more than slightly terrifying.]

Geez. And she didn't leave any clues?

[Man, what'd that frog even do during those days? Did she hoard a bunch of food and camp out somewhere?]

Not a single one. I made the mistake of naming her in honor of a ninja nation; she took to it like a frog to water, you could say.

[He can't even remember missing any food at the time. How did she eat?]

Your world's got a whole nation full of ninjas?

[Man, that takes him back to Sasuke, Obito, and all those other guys... Man, it's been a while.

His smile falters a little, but it's so brief, you'd have to really pay close attention to catch it.]

Guess that makes more sense than a Greninja thinking he's a pirate.

The proud kingdom of Eblan, may its king someday come here and brighten everyone's day.

[Having Edge around would be nice. It's been far too long.]

On the one hand, their name should naturally imply ninja-like characteristics. On the other hand... pirates sail the seas, and they are Water-types?

[That's logical enough for this world, right?]

Sure, but he only started thinking he was a pirate after he met my Clauncher and Skrelp. And if you think that's bad, they've been trying to rope my other Pokémon into their "crew."

[He shuts his eyes, pressing a hand against his temple.]

But at least they're easy to spot. Sounds like yours is a little too subtle.

[Whereas Enigma's the total opposite. How would the two even react to each other?]

...Please tell me they've not managed to acquire a properly armed ship.

[While it would surely be a sight to behold, the sea routes are unsafe enough as it is.]

The only proof I have that she involves herself in team matters is her participation in a previous breeding spree. It's more than a little alarming.

Nah. Best they've got are some toy boats and squirt guns.

[He says that knowing that sooner or later, they may get bigger ideas. He'll just have to stay on guard.]

...See, now I'm just picturing a trail of eggs. Is she one of those flirtatious types or something?

That almost sounds harmless.

[Almost. He's sure either of those objects would be quite painful if they were thrown with sufficient force, after all.]

Not particularly, but she's interested enough to lay two or three eggs once in a while. Perhaps the prospect of children with a handful of egg moves was too good to pass up.

Edited 2015-06-12 16:27 (UTC)

I'm sure they've got plans to up the ante at some point. Just let me know if they try breaking into your house-- or castle now, I guess.

[...]

I'm right outside, by the way. Kinda amazed it even fit out here.

[It's a big city, sure, but... castle. It must've demolisehd at least some buildings!]

Quite surprising, is it not?

[...He'll be very sorry about the store when he finds out, promise.]

You can come in and explore, you know. And so can they; looking for treasure in other people's castles is a long and proud tradition, though I doubt they'll manage to find weapons.

Do you really want a crazy lobster running around with a sword, though?

[SIGH. Well, he might as well slip inside. His own Greninja just so happens to be scouting the area for shiny objects at the time, while his Charizard chills on the roof of the TC.

They'll of course be joining him.]

...If a lobster can somehow propery wield a sword, I'm more than willing to pay to see this. With a bonus for any non-Aegislash weapon, of course.

[A whistle sounds from the top of the highest tower, barely audible. With a sigh, Cecil's Volcarona stops exploring to fly up there.]

...Okay, you know what? I'm gonna have to go get him just to see if that's possible.

[So give him a second. He's gotta run back to the Training Center for science!

A short while later, he'll return, riding on Flare's back up to that tower because, hey. Curiosity, man. He has it.]

[By the time Riku comes back, Cecil and Ceo are surrounded by... slightly charred, somewhat sword-shaped sticks?]

Are you certain that's all Rosie could find? You'd think they'd have left the ornamental weapons. Heirlooms should be treated with the respect they deserve.

[The moth just sighs and shakes his head. Poor Rosie couldn't even find kitchen knives!]

[Both Riku and Flare stare at those poor, pathetic sticks. They do this while still hovering above the floor, too flabbergasted to land.

When the shock wears off, Riku runs his fingers through his hair and sighs.]

Man, so there's nothing even remotely sharp left?

Not even the spears and the daggers. The barracks have been emptied of all weapons, and my own personal blades are gone. There might be one of Rosa's staves in the east tower's hidden treasury, but Rosie is too short to activate the door.

[The more Cecil speaks, the more annoyed he sounds. He knows weapons are hardly necessary in this world, of course, but he'd still hoped to see them once more.]

Uugh. And here I thought there'd be some kinda loophole. The guys in charge here really need to lighten up.

[Though for all of Riku's exasperation, his Charizard starts snickering. This is kinda a no-brainer, but Riku still sends him a flat look.]

Yeah, laugh it up, but you've got claws.

Perhaps this is a test, and we need to prove ourselves worthy of an exception to that law.

[But then again, surely they've proven that a thousand times over, after so many years? Cecil shoots Flare a quick look when the snickering starts.]

...Or perhaps we are expected to grow claws of our own.

Well, there was that one time we got hit with those weird mutations. Maybe we just need to trigger it again.

[He flexes his fingers, picturing this.]

Or I guess we could just make weapons. Not exactly legal, but I've gotten by using a blunt object.

Were they truly so useful? I was not affected at the time, and from what I understand there were side effects.

[Which is all too often the case with powers acquired suddenly, but that doesn't mean he likes them.]

I've found that frying pans are both practical in daily life and useful weapons in a pinch. But it's still not quite the same.

Freaky mutations, sure, but the tradeoff was that we could use elemental attacks. It actually let us fight for a change.

[Which was awesome, and he still kinda misses it.]

Yeah, I'd still prefer a sword. Been trying to convince my Aegislash to let me wield him, but it's been slow going.

Slow going is still more than I've managed. Lightbringer and Ragnarok are not interested, while Deathbringer cries if she so much as knocks a Pidgey unconscious.

[That particular name turned out to be more ironic than was planned.]

...Wait, how many of them do you have again?

[He's got two, but somehow he forgot just how many of those swords Cecil had scooped up during the swarms.

He's now giving Cecil a puzzled stare, while Flare simply shrugs. Some Pokémon just can't handle hurting humans.]

Only three; I gave the others away to worthy trainers. A low number, I know, but between party limitations and the few opportunities to give them different roles in battles I felt it would be unfair to catch too many.

[He sounds terribly disappointed about it, too. Ceo flaps his wings in what is probably meant to be a sympathetic gesture.]

[His brows quirk, and he leans forward, spreading his arms to emphasize his next point.]

You call that low? Most people don't even have two of the same species.

[Yet as he says this, Flare snorts and points at himself. Three Charizards. That is all.

Riku opts not to comment.]

I've only got two, but one of them's shiny. Honestly, I kinda wish the shiny look was the default, because it's way more intimidating.

In that case, my team is a great exception. I have two trios and five pairs, though the Aegislashes are the only ones I've all caught myself.

[Of course, that's because most of the other doubles lost their trainers and found his way to him.]

Is that so? I've never seen a shiny Honedge; what is their color scheme?

Well, the Honedge and Doublade look like they've been dipped in blood.

[He flips through his 'Gear, pulling up an image of each.]

Deep, dark red, a blue, later gold eye. Then there's Aegislash.

[He flips to the next picture, in all its dark glory. Black and red, gold trim? Heck yeah.]

[Cecil looks at the pictures attentively, his eyes sliding to the tips of the blades.]

...I've seen enough bloody swords to find their regular colors refreshing, but they do look quite impressive. I can only hope yours does not have the bloodthirsty personality to match.

Heh. Well, my normal Aegislash-- Ultima? He's all about fighting. Practically obsessed with brawling, so if any of them's the bloodthirsty type, it's him.

[He eyes the pictures with a fond smile, while his free hand drops to his hip.]

Soul Eater's... quiet. Still not sure what to make of her, but she's a lot calmer than he is. Seems to prefer special attacks, too.

Near opposites in personality, then? Do they prefer to train and play together, or do their differences lead them to seek out other friends?

[He's seen it go either way often enough that he's long stopped trying to predict if two Pokémon will get along, same species or not.]

It's a mixed bag. Sometimes they tolerate each other. Half the time they butt heads. Literally. And usually it's Ultima who starts it.

[The corners of his mouth twitch a little, and he tries to hold back a laugh.]

It's almost like he's hitting on her.

Almost? It sounds very much like a tentative courtship to me.

[And he sounds absolutely delighted by that.]

They cannot express their interest with Draco Meteor, at least. Be glad, and appreciate the lack of property damage.

Ugh. Please tell me you're joking...

[He shudders at the mere mental image. Is that really how Pokémon express affection?]

...As we were travelling at the time, there was no actual property damage. Thankfully.

[Everything else is 100% Not A Joke.]

Good grief.

[He smacks his palm over his face, grumbling, while Flare gives a sympathetic pat on the back.]

So, who were the culprits? Dragonites? Garchomps?

[Any other number of dragons?]

My Dragonite and my Altaria.

[Said Dragonite and Altaria are, in fact, currently arguing about who-knows-what somewhere down below. It's both amusing and terrifying to watch.]

For some unexplainable reason, I did not bother to teach that particular move to my other Dragon-types.

Edited 2015-07-12 18:46 (UTC)

Wish I'd had that kinda foresight with Terror...

[But, nope, he just had to teach her some of the most destructive moves out there. His regret's crystal clear from his grimace and the way he shudders. Seems Flare's in the same boat because he's slumping now and blowing out some smoke.]

There are some moves you just shouldn't use indoors. Earthquake's one of them...

[Cecil and Ceo shudder as one. They can imagine the damage, and the picture is not pretty.]

And here I thought merely using it near the house would be too risky. How often does she practice it?

Whenever she's hungry.

[Said with the straightest face and a tone dry as sandpaper.]

Or whenever she wants to maul something. Or fly... Basically, it's her way of saying, "pay attention to me or die!"

...Open and clear communications form the backbone of a healthy relationship between Pokémon and trainer.

[Too bad this particular communication method is destructive and dangerous.]

Too bad her idea of "open" risks property damage.

[He blows a slow, deep sigh.]

You got any drama queens on board? Aside from the lovestruck dragons.

Luststruck dragons, to be precise. Would you consider crocodile tears to be the sign of a drama queen? Leviathan has a gift for them, whenever I refuse to buy a shawl that matches her scales particularly well.

That sounds like fun! Where are you?

In both Celadon and Baron Castle simultaneously, thanks to a wish. Are you talented at hide and seek?

I used to play it all the time!

I don't think I'm close enough to make it anywhere near there any time soon.

That's a shame. But then again, Eblan plays hide and seek every day and I doubt she'll stop anytime soon. She merely... has a much larger hiding ground at the moment.

Is there any faster ways of travelling. So far I've only experienced a lot of walking. Though the spa in Cherrygrove city was nice. I know my pokèmon enjoyed it too!

Flying is the fastest method, but you need a badge, a special disk and a Pokémon that is compatible with the disk to use it. You can also ride a sufficiently large Pokémon, but there are few of those around Cherrygrove.

Where can I get this disk? And how strong is the gym leader?

The Violet Gym leader only has three Pokémon around level thirty, which makes acquiring the badge relatively simple. But the Fly HM... it must be earned against the much stronger Cianwood or Saffron teams, or borrowed from another person.

Thirty!? That seems so much stronger than my pokèmon!

It might seem daunting at first, but it can easily be reached within less than three months of training. And if you happen to have Pokémon with Ice- or Electric-type attacks, you can afford to be a few levels weaker.

I don't have any right now, but I will keep that in mind.

Do you think flying on a pokemon would be scary?

I suppose it would be scary at first, if you've never flown before or are afraid of heights. But the view is beautiful, and there's no feeling quite so great as an empty sky surrounding you.

That really sounds amazing. I hope I get to try it soon! It seems like so much walking to get anywhere. I just wish there was an easier way to travel. No one even has a carriage. It seems so strange with roads this long.

It's not so bad, truly. Children much younger than you have travelled with me over distances greater than a whole region before. ...Of course, that stopped the moment we found alternate means of transport...

I used to walk everywhere, but only in one city. We have trains and carriages for bigger distances.

The local train only runs between Saffron and Goldenrod. It's useful if you wish to see both regions, but beyond that you'll not get far.

Are there no horses here? Or rather, horse-like pokèmon?

If I remember correctly, Ponytas have been compared to horses before, though their evolution more closely resembles a unicorn.

A unicorn? I've never ridden a horse before. Is it hard?

To be honest, I've no idea. The chocobos from my world and the Arcanines from this land are easy to mount, but I've never tried riding a horse before either.

What are chocobos and arcanines?

Chocobos are large, nearly-flightless birds that serve as transportation and beasts of burden in my world. Arcanines are-

[Shoving himself at the Pokégear, stepping on his trainer in the process. Hi missy hi! :D]

-heavy. Very heavy.

He is so cute! Where did you find him?

A sweet girl traded me his egg for a starfish, long ago. He's one of my oldest Pokémon, and the proud father of many strong children.

[...But still heavy.]

Well, it is an honour to meet such a great father!

[Flare beams with all his doggy might. Eeee, someone is honored to meet him!]

It's lucky for him that his hair is so long. Otherwise, you'd undoubtedly see him blushing.

Aw, that's sweet! I think it would be nice to have a big dag like you around!

His presence is particularly appreciated when I travel during the winter. His fur keeps me warm at night, and as he knows Sunny Day he can stave off storms for a few minutes at a time.

He can control the weather!?

To some degree. There are four moves with that power: Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm and Hail. Most species can learn at least one, with the proper TM.

Pokèmon must be really powerful then!

That's something of an understatement. The strongest species are the closest this world has to gods.

Really!? That is amazing!

We've even had the opportunity to meet a few. The fire dog Entei once ate my last steak, and sheltered me from the rain as thanks.

Wow. [She's awestruck, and at a loss for more words.]

No matter how large or powerful they are, it seems all dogs are friendly and helpful creatures.

I have heard that dogs are very loyal. I suppose that remains true here.

It certainly does. Even Houndooms, with their Dark type and demonic horns, can be sweet and helpful companions.

I know better than to judge someone by their appearance. I wouldn't mind meeting a houndoom one day!

They're lovely creatures. And I don't say that only because I train one.

[Somewhere in the background, a happy bark resounds. Yes, trainer, keep objectively appreciating the beauty of her species.]

Sounds like your houndoom is liking what you say!

She does love receiving praise. And treats. It's an interest shared by most species.

Edited 2015-07-25 23:15 (UTC)

...That's a castle.

Where the hell did you get a castle.

The wishing trees can be surprisingly generous, perhaps as compensation for deliberately misinterpreting what I wrote down.

It gave you a castle.

[Lancer may have been restating the point a bit much, but that was mostly due to being both impressed and immeasurably jealous.]

I wished for home. It simply brought home here instead of sending me back there.

[Why yes, that's indeed his house.]

[well of course it is, knights live in castles and lancer sees nothing odd here]

...Yeah, kinda figured it'd pull stuff like that. [A sigh.] I don't trust wish granters even if they look like they ain't got strings attached.

It was a moment of weakness, I'll admit it. Yet the castle has not yet tried to trap or harm me, beyond driving me insane by giving Eblan more nooks and crannies to hide in.

Wasn't blaming you for it, I kind of understand. The whole thing just kind of bothers the hell out of me.

[Lancer shrugged, frowning in what must have been deep thought.]

I don't thinkthis place would pull something as bad as trying to kill us with whatever we wished for, but keep an eye out anyway. Okay?

I will. Luckily, I already know all of the castle's secrets and dangers. Therefore, I should only have to look out for unexplained changes and external influences. ...Along with slippery floors drenched by water fights, of course.

100th moon [video]

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