firstnothing

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[Audio only. The voice is a rather pleasant baritone.]

Good evening, denizens of this new world, human and pokemon alike. I am Xemnas. Perhaps there will be a few of you who recognize such a name.

[His pleasant tone never wavers; there's almost no emotional inflection at all.] This is a world I know little of. I have studied the information I have been able to find, and this little foal has been very dutiful in attempting to aid me in that search. [At this, there is a small, cheerful-sounding "Blitz!" in the background.]

If one could supply further information, or where to find it, I would be ... grateful. But tell me, countless unknown strangers, is it truly so that the humans of this world avoid combat in favor of asking their pokemon to do it for them? My small friend here seems incapable of fighting anything much tougher than a tumbleweed- [A protesting whinny this time.] -and yet I am to rely on it for my defense against all this strange world might strike with?

[It's thoughtfully said, as if this 'Xemnas' has no investment in the question or possible answers.]

[OOC: yeah I stole the sample post off my app. ;_; guilty.]

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More or less. You're technically not allowed to go out of your way to hurt people, but the fact is that not everyone's willing to smile and hold hands. Dangerous people do exist, and they will attack you. Better to play it safe than to sit still and take it.

[As the months go by, Riku becomes more and more irritated with the waepons ban, really. He's become far more focused on honing in his own strength, and it's clear through his tone that he's unhappy about the subject.]

As for your Pokémon, you can still let her fight without becoming reliant. Let her beat up some Pidgeys, Rattata, stuff like that. Weekly training ought to pacify her, and you don't have to sit on the sidelines while it happens.

Indeed. Prevention is better than cure. Every place has those who will not obey laws and regulations, and not being ready for such an eventuality will leave you more the fool for it.

[He could fight without blades or projectiles. A good, solid baseball bat would do fine, if he chanced upon one. Xemnas was practical enough to eschew something more elegant when simple brute force would do.]

Hm. Very well. I am certain such things are in the vicinity, it's simply a matter of finding them. Will that suit you, then?

[Something in his voice suggests Xemnas doesn't mean the last for Riku, which is demonstrated fairly easily by the skip of small hooves and cheerful burble of a pleased blitzle.

..And yet it's a puzzle. Why is Riku of all people being so helpful? Xemnas won't refuse the aid, but it does make him wonder. Asking may well forgo such unexpected assistance, and nothing he's been told so far went contrary to simple sense or what he'd heard from others. Was it the keyblade master's method of extending an olive branch, or something else..?]

It seems my small friend and I will be doing some hunting soon, then. How peculiar, to take an equine as one might a predator..

Some people are just too optimistic. The residents especially; they're more caught up in friendship with Pokémon, living happy lives, and expecting everything to be made up of sunshine and rainbows. And then you have people from worlds that don't operate under those rules throwing a huge wrench in the whole operation.

[The Rockets brought in from the outside are ruthless. He has no idea how they compare to the natives, but given the incompetence of the police, he doubts they're more than bumbling baddies.]

And believe me when I say any Pokémon can take on a predatory battle role. Even living ice cream cones; it's all in how you train them up. If you're shooting for a full team, it helps to have different roles.

Hope springs eternal, and often blinds to the harsher realities of life. Are there specific people one should be watching out for that are known to be constant trouble?

[Like .. the Organization. Though here they might not be much trouble at all, given the public goal of gaining hearts. No, they'd have those..

The irony of Riku warning Xemnas about foreign people from other worlds doing terrible harm is not escaping Xemnas at all. Fantastic self control means he's not laughing about it. And then something's said that just drains all belief right out of his voice. All of it.]

Living icecream cones. I do intend to acquire a variety of elements once I am certain what they are. However ... Living .. snacks are not part of this plan. Does such a thing truly exist?

[He sounds a bit skeptical and honestly, who can blame him?]

Anyone in Team Rocket, for starters. They're a criminal organization that's a pretty huge nuisance, and their members have gone out of their way to harm people just for kicks. Strike fear into everyone's hearts, that sort of thing.

[Plus, they've got Cobra Commander on their side, and he's just ridiculous.

And as for the ice cream, Riku snickers...]

And yes, they exist. Just look up Vanillite and see for yourself.

[Team Rocket. Criminal organizations weren't the sort of thing Xemnas would usually bother with but if these ones roamed about attacking people, he should pay attention. Not just for self-defense.]

I see. I will keep them in mind. [Let them try to strike fear into his 'heart'.

... and by the bit of beeping going on quietly, he really is checking out this Vanillite thing. It's just too unbelievable. Electric horses he could grasp, but moving icecream was something very different. After a long, long pause, he responds, a frown audible in his voice.]

Is there anything stranger than this in this world? I'd prefer to not get blindsided in the field.

Then you might want to be careful about going down ledges. They're kind of impossible to climb back up.

[It's... stupid, yes, but that's how it works.]

Oh, and there are Pokémon that look like letters, a ghost that can possess appliances, birds without wings that can somehow still fly. The list goes on.

I didn't think I'd ever have to say this:

Don't help that guy!

[...Uh, okay.]

I don't see the big deal, Sora. He's a newbie, I know my way around this place. Is that really so bad?

Uh yeah? He's one of the thirteen Darknesses.

Thirteen Darknesses?

[...Okay, that does sound kinda foreboding.]

Wait, does this have anything to do with that exam you told me about? I remember you saying stuff about darkness and a second sleep...

Yeah it does! He was also the guy that you and I had to fight together.

Edited (Wtf spellcheck ) 2013-07-23 06:34 (UTC)

You know that I don't remember that, right? How was I supposed to know?

You couldn't know. That's kinda my fault.

There's a lot of stuff I don't bring up because you probably wouldn't believe it or get upset.

[ a little laugh. ]

I'm not shaking you or anything about it and now you know. So... Yeah.

Still sucks being kept in the dark. Not knowing any of this...

[He groans.]

But it's not like I can do anything about it.

You know if you asked, I'd tell you everything.

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islandshore - 2013-07-23 21:43 (UTC) - Expand

... I will assume that all of this internally makes sense to this specific world, and is only strange to outsiders.

[Very strange.]

It seems there's more to come to grips with than I originally assumed. Banned weapons, animal pitfights, intelligent animal pitfights at that, mobile icecream and attack alphabet--

[A pause.]

Do you know precisely what brings individuals to this place?

[Sora's interference: unknown but completely, utterly unsurprising.]

That's pretty much how it is, right down to the endless background music.

[Riku pauses for a few moments before he answers Xemnas' question. After all, it's one he doesn't fully understand the answer to yet.]

And no, nobody really knows what brings us here. They just show up out of the blue with no rhyme or reason. There isn't even any set trend to who pops up.

[A tinge of annoyance creeps into Xemnas' voice, but only a little.]

I have noticed the background music. It changes from location to location. Presumably there is no way to shut it off outright.

[And yet in spite of almost-asking if it's possible, it didn't really seem high on his to-do list. Irritating? Yes. Tolerable: Also yes.]

It's unfortunate that it is an unknown method. Leaving is likewise unknown, I assume. Few speak of being able to leave as something they can control, from what I have heard. One must... make the best of it.

None. Your best bet's to just... use the radio if it bothers you, but pretty much all the songs are about Pokémon and battles.

[It's kinda silly. He wishes the music stations had more variety to them, but alas.]

Leaving's pretty much impossible, though. You can wait around and maybe you'll slip free, but it's just as random as whether or not you'll show up in the first place.

A small price to pay for what I've gained. Annoying music and strange world rules are negligible. Likely they will be adapted to, in time.

[Leaving being an impossibility.. somehow not surprising. Xemnas wasn't sure he'd want to leave just yet regardless. After all, he should be dead. Or he should be Xehanort, if he's dead and so is his Heartless. And yet here he was, without the necessity of toying with timelines..

A thing to consider later. Escape might not be ideal, for the time being.]

Hm. I won't make plans for it, then. The whims of the worlds are not so easily controlled by mere mortals, after all. I suppose it's time I try to recall how to live as a human being once more. Your assistance ... especially the stupidity of this world's laws on weaponry ... has been invaluable.

Wait, you mean you weren't human before?

[That's interesting. Very, very interesting...]

And no sweat about the help; I've been here for years, so I know my way around.

[Xemnas had never been ashamed of being a Nobody. Why begin now? ..Sure he couldn't before either, but he saw no reason to change a comfortable pattern.]

No.

[Better a Nobody than a Heartless.]

Mm. Nevertheless, it is all very useful things to know. Much of which may have led to difficulty otherwise.

So what were you? If you don't mind me asking, anyway.

[He understands the usefulness, of course. After all, Riku didn't have the luxury of guidance when he first arrived.]

[The response when it comes sounds faintly amused again.]

I was nothing. Before that I was something, and now I am again, but between here and there was nothingness.

[An answer that is both completely, utterly correct and also a blatant lie. It probably won't be helpful.]

I would explain further and in detail, but I'm afraid you might not understand all of it.

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islandshore - 2013-07-29 19:00 (UTC) - Expand

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firstnothing - 2013-07-30 04:19 (UTC) - Expand

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