[Wow... he's the father of one of the heroes? That's pretty cool. No wonder he's so proud of her. And there's not an inkling of judgment in the warm smile Frisk sends AZ's way - they understand, very well, what it's like to find people who accept and bring you into their lives. Officially or unofficially. Monster adoption practices are a lot less formal than the complicated human equivalent.]
[It feels nice to be able to say you have a family, doesn't it?]
I understand. [They lift their egg carefully, holding it up towards him.] Like Pokemon, right?
Yes, somewhat like that. People and Pokemon and other creatures come into our lives... and if your bonds are strong enough in the right way, they stay. Sometimes they leave, but that's a part of life, too. That doesn't mean their memories are gone with them.
[He glances over at his papers again, smiling a bit sadly.]
I've seen most of these Pokemon myself. Not many of the legendary ones... but some of those, and most of the known species in my world - including some that aren't even around anymore.
[Ah, but that's... getting close to a topic he doesn't want to trouble them with.]
[Sometimes they leave, but that's a part of life, too. That doesn't mean their memories are gone with them.]
[That's... also a bit sad. But it's a nice way of thinking about it. When it comes to personal loss, Frisk has been extraordinarily lucky in some regards, and they don't like entertaining the idea that they'll lose some of their loved ones for good. But AZ seems like someone who's been through a lot. They like his advice.]
[Frisk shifts the egg back into their lap. They reach over and tap the picture of Reshiram, lending voice to an earlier thought.]
[There's unabashed pride in the way Frisk's face lights up. They enjoy talking about their mother. It's not all that unexpected that AZ is familiar with her, either - they both have a way of sticking out of the crowd.]
[The Bastion. Frisk has heard it come up several times, and yet despite their knowledge that some people have lived there before they were called to a castle in the mist... they still have little idea what it actually is or what it's like.]
... It was... a place that people from many different worlds found their way to. It was held together by a thing called the Monument, which sort of looked like a big crystal. The Monument helped us by making materials we could use, but... ah. Everyone who was brought there...
[He pauses for a moment, not sure how to explain it - but Frisk is here, Frisk can likely handle such things.]
Our worlds are... gone. Destroyed. We might have been able to go back in time using the Monument's power when we found enough Cores, but... there was no guarantee that the Calamity wouldn't happen again. So we used it to make a new planet to live on. We gathered as much as we could, worked together... so it's a nice place, but... sad, too.
[So many worlds, so many people, lost because of pride and war and the inability to work together...]
[It sobers Frisk's expression for several moments; their face goes quiet, dropping into a certain stillness they haven't worn for a while. It's a lot to take in all at once: worlds being destroyed. Refugees forced to find shelter elsewhere. Frisk can't imagine what that's like - maybe Toriel or Asgore would, though. At least a little bit.]
[Instead, Frisk tries to focus on the positive. It's hard to comprehend entire worlds being gone, but at least some people got out, right? They built a new life, despite everything. It goes to show that a little determination goes a long, long way.]
[... Frisk maneuvers their egg to one side, lifts a hand to settle on AZ's arm.]
[He does his best to smile, and covers their hand with his other one.]
We're working together to help make things okay where we are now. And who knows? Maybe other people survived on the Skyway and will be drawn to that place. There's always hope.
[Hope. They couldn't have put it better if they tried. Frisk allows a small, somber smile, because while they aren't so quick to focus on the good that they'll forget about how heavy the pain of destroyed worlds must lie, they're relieved to see the glimmer of hope in AZ. Maybe because he's still got so much to love. His daughter, his Pokemon... Frisk can tell he really does love them.]
[Monsters are weird... but humans can be, too.]
[In a good way.]
I think so, too. [A pause.] Thanks for telling me about it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[It feels nice to be able to say you have a family, doesn't it?]
I understand. [They lift their egg carefully, holding it up towards him.] Like Pokemon, right?
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[He glances over at his papers again, smiling a bit sadly.]
I've seen most of these Pokemon myself. Not many of the legendary ones... but some of those, and most of the known species in my world - including some that aren't even around anymore.
[Ah, but that's... getting close to a topic he doesn't want to trouble them with.]
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[That's... also a bit sad. But it's a nice way of thinking about it. When it comes to personal loss, Frisk has been extraordinarily lucky in some regards, and they don't like entertaining the idea that they'll lose some of their loved ones for good. But AZ seems like someone who's been through a lot. They like his advice.]
[Frisk shifts the egg back into their lap. They reach over and tap the picture of Reshiram, lending voice to an earlier thought.]
This one looks like my mom.
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Really? Is your - ah.
[That... makes sense.]
She wouldn't happen to be the tall woman with white fur, would she?
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[Without looking away from the sketch, they nod.]
Uh-huh. Toriel. She's not a Pokemon, though.
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Can you tell me more about it? The Bastion.
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[He pauses for a moment, not sure how to explain it - but Frisk is here, Frisk can likely handle such things.]
Our worlds are... gone. Destroyed. We might have been able to go back in time using the Monument's power when we found enough Cores, but... there was no guarantee that the Calamity wouldn't happen again. So we used it to make a new planet to live on. We gathered as much as we could, worked together... so it's a nice place, but... sad, too.
[So many worlds, so many people, lost because of pride and war and the inability to work together...]
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[... sounds horrible.]
[It sobers Frisk's expression for several moments; their face goes quiet, dropping into a certain stillness they haven't worn for a while. It's a lot to take in all at once: worlds being destroyed. Refugees forced to find shelter elsewhere. Frisk can't imagine what that's like - maybe Toriel or Asgore would, though. At least a little bit.]
[Instead, Frisk tries to focus on the positive. It's hard to comprehend entire worlds being gone, but at least some people got out, right? They built a new life, despite everything. It goes to show that a little determination goes a long, long way.]
[... Frisk maneuvers their egg to one side, lifts a hand to settle on AZ's arm.]
I'm proud of you.
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We're working together to help make things okay where we are now. And who knows? Maybe other people survived on the Skyway and will be drawn to that place. There's always hope.
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[Monsters are weird... but humans can be, too.]
[In a good way.]
I think so, too. [A pause.] Thanks for telling me about it.
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[Baby Pokemon should hear stories of their world, too.