firstnothing

[Video!]

[The video clicks on to focus not on Xemnas, but a rather sedate looking kadabra carefully picking burrs out of a blitzle's fur, the ever-present kadabra-spoon held in its teeth. Both have rather new looking and fairly loose black collars studded with small silvery ...studs, and a single bright silver charm a little too distant to make out clearly. Neither seem to mind said collars, possibly because they'd be able to get them off very easily if they wanted to. When Xemnas speaks, likely the one holding the camera, he sounds bemused.]

I have finally seen evolution in this world for myself, but not with one of the pokemon I have had the longest. Is it odd, that the abra I captured not so long ago, evolved so quickly into its next form? Or is this common for wild-caught pokemon? I have high hopes of seeing the second stage of Regret's own evolution soon.

[The blitzle notices the camera first and perks up visibly. Then begins making faces at it, no small fete for a horselike face. Aside from a slow flick of its rather fluffy tail, the kadabra doesn't bother to divert from its goal of burrs.]

Additionally the growlithe that had chosen to accompany me is still present. If anyone is desirous of having a free growlithe, alert me and I will bring it somewhere you can capture it. To the young man I purchased the gastly egg from: it is a remarkable creature, and one I suspect I will keep for some time. You must be very pleased with its parents.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

They need to learn to do some research then. Or at the very least determine the level of the fish they've chosen to abuse. If they can't manage such a simple thing then they doubly deserve the results they get.

[Yay, fishing poles! A Mr. Fish of his own!]

[Overall, he's chuckling plenty.]

Do you really want to raise one just to see how it goes?

[There's a brief tap.]

Not just to see how it goes. A gyarados is a very powerful creature, is it not? Having one as an ally would be of use for more than simple curiosity.

It's powerful unless it runs into an electric type. It has a quadruple weakness against them, being a flying and water type once it's evolved. [Hmmmmm..... turning his gear, yeah he's showing off again, but you totally want to see this Gyarados, right?]

They look totally fierce though if that's more the thing. [Koiya herself isn't the fiercest of Pokemon, but she still finds it impossible to close that maw and just snuffs contently where she hangs over her trainer to peer at the gear in his hand; has he gotten up from his birdchair? Nope.]

Most pokemon I have seen or heard of have a weakness. It's simply a matter of mitigating it if its strengths are worthwhile enough, is it not? One must simply not use such a creature against something that has damaging electrical attacks.

[Surely it's an opportunity to show off another pokemon! Xemnas isn't complaining, it has its uses. And this new creature is studied just like the others. He sounds thoughtful when he speaks again.]

They do indeed look fierce. Are they capable of biting, or are their jaws continually fixed open?

[This one could just be gaping, but they might also be filter feeders, either might be true..]

I guess. She's more of a physical fighter than a special move powerhouse anyway. [Koiya just gives her trainer a rolled eye expression, really shush Vani, she can still do something as easy as surf, goshh. The question prompts her to try shutting her maw, and she does it successfully, but it's hard to keep closed for very long before the weight simply makes it hang open again.

Most can shut their mouths, but I think the muscles that cause the shut are small and get tired quick, so that's why they can't do it for long but can still have a harsh bite.

Are they capable of being 'special move powerhouses', or is that best left to other .. fish?

[So they CAN close their mouths. That's good to know. Not filter-feeders, then. He wished he had a notebook or computer or something to keep all of this information down. Memory wasn't always reliable.]

She is not also a dragon, is she? I could see something dragonlike in her appearance but I believe she is still under the category of fishes? [Pause.] Water-type, pardon.

Best left to other water types.

[Chuckling, he reaches and gives Koiya a simple pat on her big face, before returning her.] She's not a dragon, she's all water and flying. She only looks dragon-like and can learn some dragon type moves, but overall strong enough to do a lot of damage with the move "thrash". It's the best move a Gyarados can have, and they learn it almost as soon as they evolve.

[Xemnas waits until the sea-serpent is gone before offering his next question, bemused.]

Do you consider a gyarados a worthwhile battler? It's obvious you have this one, but you spoke of their weakness as if it were a 'deal breaker'.

It depends on what you're battling. For regular battles against the mindless locals, they do well enough. For gym battles, there are better options. For challenging the others here who have been removed from other worlds, there are better options.

I raised her mostly to prove a point to an idiot who thought Magikarp were utterly useless. He left, unfortunately, before she could hyper beam his sorry existence.

Only worthwhile versus wild pokemon, then. Hm.

[It's something to keep in mind. He preferred more versatile pokemon that could be used in more than one situation. It seems laser fish would not be on that list.]

Perhaps one day he will return, and you can line up your angry fish laser then. It will be quite a hello.

Heh, it'd be more than a hello, but it ruins the fun if he has no memory of the argument itself.

Do those who leave this place always return with no memory?

[He's suddenly very interested. Unusually so given his ordinary even tone.]

Most of the time. It's rare for people to return knowing this place and of everything they did before.

How many have you seen afflicted thus?

I would say nine out of ten people return with no memory. It's been a few years for me here, so accurate numbers are a bit difficult to remember, especially when I could give a rats ass about half the people who come here. The ones I liked enough have never made comebacks with memories though.

I can do without a specific number so long as there is a general idea of how many. What you have provided is sufficient, and interesting. I will have to make a note of it.

Are you going to start keeping a notebook on hand every time you talk to me? [He just chuckles a bit, amused.]

[There's that not-quite-real sounding laugh. Not fake, just hollow.]

Perhaps I should. You are proving to be a wellspring of interesting information.

[It's as empty as it can get, yet he'll take it.]

It's hard to not get your head full of information, living here for a few years.

And for one such as I, new to this place, it is endlessly valuable. Never underestimate the power of knowledge alone, Vanitas.

[Quite a compliment, even if Xemnas might not realize it; or maybe he does, and it's to work in his favor in the future. Still, Vani scratches the back of his neck with a half grin, trying to not look absolutely ridiculous with how pleased he is to hear that.]

Yeah, I suppose it is useful in the end.

[If it works in his favor later then it's worthwhile. That's all Xemnas needed to know.

And this boy was oddly easy to flatter, which was terribly convenient.]

Useful at all stages. Not all strength is physical power, though I'm sure you know that by now. Once I have more questions, which inevitably I will, now I know who to trouble with them. Especially it seems, if it relates to dragons.

[Vanitas had quite a collection for himself, after all.]

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