◎ Bout 2: The age question [action/voice]

[thunderfists]

[action]

[Akihiko's been adjusting well enough to Luceti following the crash back to reality that Luceti was a different world that was not the TV world he was supposed to have appeared in. He's back to a "civilized" level of hygiene and no longer running around in survival pants and a cape -- no, now he's back to sweatpants and T-shirts for his jogs and training. He can be found jogging on the village roads and into the forest, which he's now fairly familiar with after spending so much time out there.

Later in the day, after he's finished with his training for the day, he opens up his journal. Ever since that "experiment," he's been wondering something. But before he asks, he should probably introduce himself...]

[voice]

Hey. I'm Akihiko Sanada. I arrived here in the recent ... cycle. I guess that's what you call it. I've heard that I might have met some people here before, so I thought I'd warn you that I don't remember ever being in Luceti.

Anyway, I've got a question. How do you decide when to celebrate or acknowledge your birthdays here? There can be a lot of different kinds of calendars, even in the same world, so... I'm curious how other people handle it.

Also, if anyone knows how I can get my hands on a speed bag, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

Comments

[bravefighter]

Well, I just wasn't paying attention to the date! I didn't realize it was my birthday until my Pokemon let me know.

[thunderfists]

[That term. It takes him a moment to realize he's heard it before. ...Never did ask about it at that time.]

Pokemon?

[bravefighter]

Animals, from back home. We train them!

[thunderfists]

Animal trainers? I think I might have met one, then. So you talk to the animals to train them?

[bravefighter]

Yeah, kinda! I mean, we can't really speak the same language or anything, except some psychic types, but we just kinda understand each other anyway! It's kinda weird.

[thunderfists]

You're telling me. I'd never seen a bird like that Pokemon before. A ... Swellow? Something like that.

[bravefighter]

Oh, yup! That's one of 'em. They're pretty cool. I barely see 'em around, though, since I'm from Kanto. They're usually in Hoenn.

[thunderfists]

Kanto? [That sounds like the region, but he's never heard of a Pokemon or Swellow over there before.] Are you from Japan, then?

[bravefighter]

Japan... ? [Sadly no Japan. Only Kanto]

[thunderfists]

I guess that's a no, then. [He sounds amused, though he doesn't laugh outright.] Japan is a country -- the one I'm from, in my world. "Kanto" is the name of a region.

[bravefighter]

Huh! Weird. Yeah we just have different regions. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh...

And then Unova is across the ocean.

[thunderfists]

[...Strange how they all still had Japanese meanings... But if Japan didn't exist in that world, maybe it was just a coincidence.]

And these Pokemon are all over these regions in your world?

[bravefighter]

Yup! Dunno any regions that don't have 'em, anyway.

[thunderfists]

You said before that you train them, the Pokemon. What are they trained for? Battle? [That's the impression he got from his session with that Swellow.]

[bravefighter]

Yep! Most people battle 'em, some people raise 'em as pets. They're our friends though, so we just let 'em do what they want, mostly.

[He's learned to add that last bit on. Most people don't like the idea of Pokemon fighting (for some reason. sheesh. weird people)]

[thunderfists]

[Animals fight. People fight. The only differences he can see there are the intentions and thoughts involved.]

So they don't mind? How do people even end up with a Pokemon?

[bravefighter]

Nope! I think they'd let me know if they did mind it, anyway. But we catch 'em, or get 'em as gifts.

[thunderfists]

Catch them? With traps? [Because catching creatures and then somehow training them didn't seem like a process that left the Pokemon with much of an actual "choice."]

Sorry for all the questions. It sounds like an elaborate part of your world.

[bravefighter]

Nah, with these! [He'll hold up a poke ball!] It's called a poke ball. We catch 'em with these so we can carry 'em around!

I don't mind all the questions, though! I'm used to answering them, so it's no big deal.

[thunderfists]

Used to answering them? [He sounds just a tad amused.] I guess you probably get a lot of questions, if you have your Pokemon around with you.

[bravefighter]

I do! Even sometimes without, if I mention something kinda looks like a Pokemon. I know a few animals that I've seen here kinda look like 'em.

I don't really mind, though! It's fun to talk about different worlds.