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("The moon did all of that?") Though maybe that's what made Diancie so intrigued as it continued to tell the story. It all didn't make a lick of sense to the poor Pokémon's mind yet there was a fascination in her eyes. Another completely different experience that she had yet to experience for herself. How couldn't one not be intrigued in the slightest hearing it?

("And not to mention possessing someone else without one's permission. And that's not even beginning to touch everything else you said. Sure there are mechanical Pokémon but I can't imagine all of that happening in our world...")

Still it had to be somewhat possible. Maybe just a new species or something none of them had seen before...

("So there was fighting then? I-I doubt anyone would just sit around and let that happen all without trying to stop it from happening.")

Pokémon. That was a word it'd never heard before. Though, there were many things here it had never heard of before. Still, it was intriguing. And evidently, these creatures were servants? Or perhaps that was just her job personally. It shouldn't jump to too many conclusions from just a couple sentences.

"IN THE WORLD I CAME FROM, THE MOON CONTAINED AN ENTITY OF... NOTEWORTHY POWER."

Power it coveted.

"IT CRACKED OPEN AND DROPPED METEOR SHOWERS ON US. AND A SET OF ISLANDS."

"THERE WERE VEGETABLE-BASED ANIMALS AND CRYSTALLINE LIFEFORMS. MANY OF THEM HAD COGNITIVE IMPACTS."

Just as Alter's opposing power did- only, the shadow end of Them fed off of fragile minds while the celestials could touch only the mentally sound.

"AMONG THEM WERE GESTALTS WHICH COULD POSESS OTHER OBJECTS AND SHAPE THEM INTO MOON-THINGS. OR FORCE YOU TO REBOOT."

An annoying effect for sure, but less obnoxious than the brightshade gestalts constantly growing murderous weeds in the garden.

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("Am I?")

A first for her that was for sure. Maybe there was a small chance something that resembled her managed to end up in another world. From what she constantly heard people talk there was a likely chance of it happening, even if it'd probably fly right over Diancie's head.

("I'm what people call a Pokémon. Though I'm a one of a kind as opposed to my fellow servants. Still I don't think either are related to whatever you are talking about regarding a "moon gestalt". But maybe it is? Could you tell me a little bit more about them?"

At the very least she could maybe relate it back to something or someone Diancie knew. Or all of this could just be confusing her more then she could ever imagine. Better to try and solve it now then the alternative...

It hums in response. Mildly disappointed that another potential-moon-creature lead was a dead end, but it couldn't expect too much by this point. It was beginning to think perhaps the moon flora and fauna expressed by the Constant's moon were not universal. Which would probably make more sense, since Alter was a Constant power, and the ruling force behind the celestials, but still...

A crystalline creature from a forest? What kind of forests did her world of origin have?

"YOU ARE REMINISCENT OF THE THINGS ON THE MOON WHERE I'M FROM."

It could at least offer some explanation for its abrupt question. Not much of an explanation, but a touch of context.

"IDENTIFYING... DIANCIE"

It stares at her for a moment as it writes her name and image to memory for future reference.

"IF YOU AREN'T A MOON GESTALT THING, WHAT ARE YOU?"

She'd said a lot of people don't understand what she is, and apparently WX was included in that number with their wrong guess. May as well get more information while their curiosity was piqued.

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("A-Are they now?") Diancie's voice sounded curious, as if she wasn't already a mysterious floating rock and diamonds that could speak to people like this. If only she had a clue what a "Quaxly" was beyond the duck that was taking a gander at himself in the Pokémon's gems. It was an enjoyable sight for sure, even if she had to move eventually to help out.

("If your Quaxly needs one I can try to give them a diamond to look into in their spare time. Though I haven't tried to do it since arriving here...") Still trying her best to assist Diancie floated down, picking up one of the heavier bags with their hands. Not too heavy but not exactly weightless either.

("Most people just try to steal them from me in the first place. Thankfully it hasn't happened in quite some time but I am worried someone might show up one day and try to do just that.")

It talked. They both jumped back, Quaxly on guard, and Dot just, well, kind of shocked. Like, maybe her whole streaming shtick was being a talking Pokemon, but it wasn't exactly common, and this didn't exactly look like a costume. Where's Nidothing was, well, yeah, pretty obviously a costume.

"Uh, hi?" Her voice pitches up, not having expected to have to talk to anyone this day.

She had set down the bags of electronics she had to set up her personal streaming station slash research corner.

"Yeah, I guess I wouldn't mind help, since Quaxly's way more interested in you than helping." Said duck Pokemon was busying himself looking at his top feathers in the sheen of the talking Pokemon's gems.

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("I see! Well that's good. But if you are feeling any differently don't hesitate to tell me.")

Not that Diancie really had any experience with trying to alleviate out of body experiences but sometimes all one really did need was a talk to keep their mind off that sort of thing. Which the Pokémon prided herself off of being somewhat decent at, or at least she hoped so.

("But of course I'll join you! Your snacks never fail to brighten my day. And they are always tasty as well.)

◓ Growing a little hadn't even been the hardest part of what had happened to her. Liko had been burdened by the knowledge of losing her friends and home, and the depression had hit her like a truck even though she was putting on a brave face. "Mrrow mrrow!" Meowscarada meowed Diancie her new name while Liko stood quietly.

"Fine...?" Liko's enthusiasm flickered for just a second when Diancie asked if she was a fine. Was she really fine deep down? Maybe not, but... "Yup! Just a year older, that's it!" She had a bad habit of burying her own negative feelings, and Meowscarada meowed at what she recognized as Liko doing just that.

"But have you eaten, Diancie? I brought a lot of snacks like always! Did you want to go to the park nearby to eat them?" The weather was nice, so her Pokémon would probably enjoy it.

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She had heard in the past some people managed to end up there and still came back to the world's surface. But never did the Pokémon herself actually go there, although she wouldn't deny the idea did sound somewhat enjoyable. People did mention that in Spirale you could visit somewhere close relatively easily. Maybe that'd be in the cards for her sometime this year...

("T-The moon? Nonono I don't come from there. I'm from the forest where I come from. You can just call me Diancie!") Her usual jovial demeanor was a clear contrast to the one that called itself WX-78. But there was no reason to treat someone so differently from the rest.

("It was a beautiful place. We could see the moon through the cracks in the trees if that counts.")

How is this thing talking to it.

It's as if her voice is inside its head.

"YES. I AM AN AUTOMATON."

This was... new. It was familiar with a variety of strange creatures, both organic and inorganic, and some that blurred the line, but ordinarily they either made some modicum of sense to what was usual for Earth: at least following some rules of the animal kingdom, being distorted versions of extant animals, or a mish-mash of several. Other than that, there were the supernatural entities, living shadows and gestalts that preyed on the mind.

But this creature is rocks.

And she's talking to it.

"UGH. YES, I NOTICED. I AM WX-78."

Hmm... some kind of crystalline creature, an echoing voice in its mind, light colors...

"ARE YOU FROM THE MOON?"

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("So you are a machine?")

It wasn't the first time she met someone that was a complete mechanical individual. Though they seemed a bit different from the rest Diancie had met prior to this. Although she couldn't sense too much hostility from them in the first place. Even if she almost managed to bump right into them while floating around the corner.

("I have to say that its pretty uncommon to see other non-humans around here.") The Pokémon said hopping around, looking over every part with an odd curiosity. ("Then again from the handful of encounters I've had myself a lot of people don't quite understand what I am either. Do you have a name I can call you by?")

@crazyprocessedsynth | s.c

[diamonddomain]

("O-Oh my? Is this what Florageto evolved into?") She could've sworn it was only a few weeks ago that they saw them in such a smaller state. And now here they were, being picked up without any real effort whatsoever.

("And you grew a whole year already? That's a lot to take in really...")

Not to mention it was doubtful Liko had anything in the way of specifics on how it all happened. And even if she did it'd probably all fly over the Pokémon's head in general.

("Well you are still fine right? Beyond what happened to Sprigatito in such a short time. At least you don't seem too different from when I last saw..."

@diamonddomain

◓ Because she was trying to show off, Meowscarada immediately picked Diancie up the next time they met. There was probably a lot to go over, seeing as Floragato had evolved and Liko had in her own way. "Um... Surprise?" The trainer threw her arms out, unsure if she'd even really changed that much in the past year? She was definitely taller!

"I can't really explain it myself, but one morning I woke up and I was a year old, Floragato had evolved, and I could remember a whole bunch of things I couldn't before..."

[diamonddomain]

been slacking on her a bit so here's a late month starter call for Dinacie!. No cap for now

[diamonddomain]

("Oh, hello there!")

Yet again it seemed like another trainer had managed to find their way to the city. This time with a peculiar looking duck Pokémon as opposed to the kitten that Liko had. Still another person from a realm close to her wasn't hurt to get close to. At least if they weren't in any related to those thieves...

("Do you need any help carrying that? It looks like the two of you are struggling.")

Quaxly was usually far more well-behaved than this, but he seemed to have gotten the scent (does he even have a good sense of smell) or something (when she does see it, she's not sure that it can smell), and took off down the road outside the electronics store.

After holing herself up in her room when she learned this is not an RPG, or a dream, and she's gotta do something (and Liko dragged her out and she couldn't go back to saying no), she's frustrated to find someone being uncooperative.

"I can't carry this all by myself-"

She does stop short when she sees it. A Pokemon she's never seen before, just...Milling about?

"Nevermind, nice find Quaxly. Now what kind of Pokemon..."

@diamonddomain

[diamonddomain]

("Oh I'd love one, Thank you so much Liko!")

Not that she really had a preference of berries, each one tasted somewhat similar to the last. Though the one she received today did have somewhat of a unique flavor compared to others she's tried prior. Maybe it was special? Something unique to here? A question later for sure especially given she needed to answer her own inquiry first.

("Well I'm not so sure about other Pokémon. You could probably miss the place I'm supposed to overseer because its surrounded by such a large forest. Not to mention for quite some time I didn't exactly feel I was up to the task of leading it.") Partially because of her own inexperience and other factors leading up to it. ("Though I wouldn't know if any were in your own region. But if you ever got the chance to look around I'm sure there's one!)

◓ Hatenna chirped when Diancie returned the answer about being a princess, but since Liko could hear what Diancie was saying she weighed in too. "Princess? Does that mean some Pokémon have kingdoms? I guess there can be all types of communities..." That explained why she looked so royal.

"Sprigatito just kind of does what she wants sometimes..." Her mood had always been pretty fickle, but she was a cat at the end of the day. It was better to just not force her awake else she would probably be cranky. Unfortunately, she knew Hatenna was hungry. But she was also carrying some berries that she set out in front of the tiny witch. They were eaten happily.

"She doesn't usually nap for that long though, so we should be okay like this for now. Would you like a berry, Miss Diancie?" Hatenna really liked fresh strawberries, so maybe since Diancie was the same type she would too?

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("So the reverse kind of Valentine's?")

"I suppose I should prep some gifts in return then. Though I do wonder if I should get a more expensive gift or just pick out what I think works out best for them. O-Or does it really matter in the first place?"

❝ From my understanding, it's something called White Day. Apparently it's when those who received something on Valentine's respond in kind to the givers. It's not a native holiday where I'm from, but I've been here long enough to observe it. ❞

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("So now that Valentine's has finally passed what's the next big thing everyone celebrates again?")

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("According to other people not really. If anything me talking like this to anyone seems to be the oddity in my own home. So I suppose you're correct, the fact I am able to communicate vocally is a rarity.")

For the better of course but sometimes people couldn't quite comprehend how this sort of thing worked in the first place.

("Not that I feel any of those qualities should make me special. It just happened to occur that way that's all...")

"....Oh."

He sounded disappointed. He was. So it was simply a difference in language? Could it be so simple?

"Are all creatures in the wild in your world capable of speech? Is there anything else that differentiates them from a mundane animal?"

He paused, wondering if she would understand the concept of a 'mundane animal'.

"As in, an animal that cannot speak and has no higher function past their given instincts which is the same across all of their species. They've no extraordinary qualities."

[diamonddomain]

("I am a Princess! Or well not here I guess anymore but before arriving here I was.") It was the same exact story Diancie told Liko the first time she met. Although clearly the smaller Pokémon seemed just as intrigued by their appearance and demeanor as their trainer did.

("They do seem a little tired. Unless they are the type to always want to sleep in any second they can.") She couldn't really blame them, especially on a beautiful day like this next to their close friends. Diance sure would've if they could find a comfortable place to lay down as well...

("But if there's enough for all three of then I don't mind waiting till your Sprigatito wakes up. And I don't think Hatenna would either.")

◓ "I've been okay!" A more detailed answer than that would have been wordier since she was grappling a little bit with her memories updating. Waking up remembering events you hadn't the day before was jarring. Sprigatito yawned while curling up into a ball. Apparently snack time was now nap time for her.

Hatenna seemed to be overjoyed, likely catching on that Diancie was also a Fairy-type. "Mii, mii, mii, mii! (Are you a princess?)" And she had questions of her own.

"It's okay! Sprigatito really likes these cookies, so I thought you and Hatenna might as well... But hm..." She glanced over at her sleeping cat. "I'm sure she'll wake up once she smells them!"

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("Oh nonono! My apologies if I confused you.")

"From what I could tell it's any creature in the wild. I don't really understand it myself but it seems to make things easier for everyone else. So I suppose it works out..."

He sighed.

"Does the term 'Pokemon' only refer to you and your brethren that have rock and gem like appearances?"

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("Oh Liko! I've been lovely how about yourself?") It hadn't been too long since their last talk but Diancie was quick to notice who Liko's would introduce as her new partner rolling around in her hood. It wasn't anyone she had ever seen before but a friend of a friend was always welcome in her book.

("I haven't. Hello there Hatenna! You must be one of Liko's Pokémon she was talking about before. My name's Diancie, I'm a friend of hers.") The pink on their body was pretty close to her own diamonds. Of course without the reflectiveness that came with her stones.

("Are we all have a little picnic here today Liko? I would've made or bought something as well if I known...")

@diamonddomain

◓ "Hello Diancie! Have you been well?" Since the Pokémon was the only one she'd met in the city and she could communicate, Liko had been making a point to visit her when she could. She usually brought things like snacks to her abode, and on this occasion she brought a small bag of cookies that she set down on a tiny table she brought. Sprigatito quickly took a spot.

But this time a third guest rolled out of Liko's hood. "Oh right! You haven't met Hatenna yet, have you?"

"Mii, mii, mii! (H-Hello...)" The Fairy-type lifted its hair on the sides in greeting. Diancie seemed to be calm, so she wasn't disturbed by any strong emotions.

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("Huh? Explain?") Did he really mean explain every little thing about Pokémon? It felt like an impossible feat considering how many were actually out there.

("Well that's what everyone calls us. I don't really know much else of how the word came to be in the first place. But I suppose it helps generalize everything before delving deeper into the other parts...")

"....Pokémon...." He repeated.

"Explain."