10th moon [video]

[paladinlost]

[Is that a Zephyr Badge, glinting from within Cecil's white-knuckled grip? Yes it is! But for some reason, Cecil looks extremely unhappy for a guy who just won a badge. Even his Pokémon look tired but uneasy. What could be the cause of that?]

Tidus. Cloud. If you can hear this, answer me. This isn't funny anymore.

[...Ah, yes, that would do the trick.]

Comments

[of-france.livejournal.com]

Marianne would probably enjoy a battle like that.



It is frustrating to have so little control over our lives..

[paladinlost]

You could try to earn the badges after she earns a few more levels. Her type would not be disadvantaged.

At least this world seems to be without wars. A small blessing.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think she'll enjoy it. David, too.



There is violence, though. But I suppose that is little in comparison to total warfare.

[paladinlost]

Badges also give some travelling benefits, such as getting past that tree north of Violet.

But even the local violence does not seem to lead to casualties. Only wounds.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

The odd one? I've heard about it, but I haven't seen it myself.



It wouldn't make sense for us to be able to die again. I suppose that is something to be thankful for.

[paladinlost]

Two of my friends have obtained the equipment necessary to bypass it. This will make future travels much easier.

That wouldn't explain the locals, however. Even they survive what should be mortal blows.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the locals are not really alive. They might be golems of a sort, like in the old legends.

[paladinlost]

Their skin is too soft. They aren't bulky enough, either. Unless this world's golems are much different from ours, in which case anything is possible.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

It's probable that they're very different from what we think of as golems; they could all be android or clones for all we know.



Robots. That's what they probably all are...

[paladinlost]

Mechanical dolls, you mean? Luca does have Calca and Brina back home, but the scale is not quite the same. They show much less individuality than the locals.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

I think it's more likely that the locals are highly advanced androids with their own artificial intelligence. They might also be shape-shifting demons; I wouldn't put it past the Devil.

[paladinlost]

How can we know for certain? Is there a way to tell those androids and humans apart?

[of-france.livejournal.com]

It's... getting harder to tell them apart where I am from. We would have to take a local apart to be sure.

[paladinlost]

I'd rather not do that, if it can be avoided. There is always the possibility that they are merely brainwashed victims.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

True... I just want to know so badly...

[paladinlost]

I've been looking for libraries and public archives, though I have not yet found anything. Would there be an equivalent for technology? It might hold information about possible robots.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

I doubt that the information would be available to the public. That would defeat the purpose of keeping us in the dark in the first place, wouldn't it?

[paladinlost]

What about records that are not available to the public?

[of-france.livejournal.com]

That would involve some light-fingered work, but it would probably be worth it...

[paladinlost]

By some strange coincidence, I know someone who is quite talented at light-fingered work. Then again, any potential records would have to be found first.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

I'm more than a bit familiar with such work myself, although, I must admit, I am a bit better suited to keeping my ear to the ground at the moment. You're absolutely right, after all.

[paladinlost]

My group will probably move on to Ecruteak next. Is there anything I should keep an eye on? Buildings, types of people?

[of-france.livejournal.com]

Closest bet is people; behavior will out more often than buildings, although searching abandoned or ones associated with suspicious things is always useful.

[paladinlost]

I'll look for people with technical knowledge or in a position of authority. They would be more likely to know anything.

[of-france.livejournal.com]

I'll look out for the same.