002 ☆ video

[hopeslastreward]

[Music -- if it can even be called that -- comes through your PokéGear's speakers when you play this video. The image on the screen is of a grimy stone floor; after looking at it for a few seconds, one might eventually make out a series of runes, carved into the floor itself. For any English-reading characters in the audience, a little bit of hunkering down and focusing should make the runes start to look like a certain word:]

Light.

[WE NEED SOME LIGHT, FIRST OF ALL WE NEED SOME-- no okay not singing showtunes here.]

I've been through one of these chambers already, and that had a word on the floor as well. It took longer than I would have expected to figure out... but here I am. [Seriously, though. English isn't his first language, but for some reason it required a lot of focus to even decode the word "ESCAPE".] I won't tell you what the solution to that puzzle was; once you understand the cipher, though, this 'light' should be easy enough as well.

Oh-- and there's one other thing worth noting. [The Gear's camera moves up to show another tangle of Unown runes. Komaeda's been puzzling over this, too, for a good long time, but he's revealing the translation for the sake of the broadcast.] This passage here references an unidentified 'we' "erecting a Pokémon statue outside"... there are plenty of statues in these ruins, but all of them are within some chamber or another. One could easily assume that the 'we' in question created this statue, but it still lies buried... or it is hidden in some other manner. Perhaps some kind of criterion has to be filled before the statue will appear?

Ah. Incidentally [and by this he means 'not incidentally at all'], I understand that some people have gotten the opportunity to speak to people native to the region of Kalos -- which bears a striking resemblance to a country I know called 'France'. There are goodie bags presently being given out in at least one Pokémon Center that are supposedly from Kalos, which contain -- among other things -- a couple of French baked goods known as macarons. It makes one wonder exactly how many things from this world have been lifted from others. Has anyone noticed other similarities?

...Mmm, I probably should have said this at the beginning, but please feel free to disregard this message, if you haven't done so already. It's just some worthless babbling. [He laughs.] Well, in any case, good night.

Comments

video;

[superordinary]

Oh, you're exploring the ruins, Komaeda-kun... [ He's been there with Kirigiri, so he knows about the place. ]

I've never really thought about the statue they're referencing. Maybe there was one outside at some point, but it was destroyed?

video;

[hopeslastreward]

Oh, Naegi-senpai! You responded -- thank you!

[He didn't expect anyone to bother, honestly...]

Regarding your second point: that is also possible, though depending on how the statue was destroyed, it would probably leave at least some indication of its presence for archaeologists to find. Assuming, again, that it isn't just lying deeper underground.

Have you been through these ruins before?

video;

[superordinary]

Um, you're welcome...? [ Why are you thanking him... ]

I went there with Kirigiri-san last year. It was an interesting experience.

[ Although he could've lived without the trapdoors leading to the puzzle chambers opening up right where he was standing. :|b ]

video;

[hopeslastreward]

"Interesting" is right. I keep expecting to fall on my head and die.

[He frowns, as if dying (or not dying) is a minor inconvenience.]

[video] let's hope we don't regret this

[codeforhope]

[It probably would have been better for everyone if Chihiro decided to take Komaeda at his word and just...well, disregard the message, but at the same time he told Nanami he intended to give him the benefit of the doubt, and so he plans to. ...Not that he isn't responding with a certain level of caution, here, but there's nothing wrong with just talking to the guy, either.]

Well...this world is a lot like home, really. In many ways.

[He glances offscreen for a moment, as if trying to decide how to put his thoughts into words.]

I mean...one of the biggest differences are the existence of the Pokemon, right?

[video] it can end only in pain

[hopeslastreward]

[Does Komaeda... know you...]

Are you another member of Naegi-senpai's class?

[Everyone's pretty much been hiding Chihiro's existence from him, and for good reason. Welcome to the lion's den!]

The Pokémon which, in our world, exist as part of a video game. It almost seems as if this world was specifically modeled after our Earth -- or another, extremely similar one.

[video]

[codeforhope]

[...Is it too late to escape.

it probably is isn't it.

Chihiro gives a slight nod before responding.]

Mm. My name is Fujisaki Chihiro. You are...Komaeda-kun, aren't you?

Ah, well...since this world exists as a video game back home, it makes sense that it would be modeled after Earth. At least, that's what I think.

[It's gotta be immersive for the little ten year olds who hope to one day walk outside and get jumped by an electric mouse.]

[video]

[hopeslastreward]

Yes, Nagito Komaeda. It's an honor, Fujisaki-senpai! [Komaeda smiles at the camera, and it looks somewhat normal. Let's see how long that lasts!]

It does make sense that the worlds would be similar, but I can't help but wonder how this world was bright into being in the first place. Is it merely a matter of exceptionally unlikely coincidences [which Komaeda himself is not unfamiliar with] or did something intentionally design one after the other?

[video]

[paladinlost]

It's not quite a similarity with my own world, but I've noticed that people are usually familiar with all of this world's holiday, or with none at all. That would imply a shared history.

[video]

[hopeslastreward]

A shared history? I see...

[Hmm.]

So you're saying that something may have happened in the past to bring Pokémon here? Which would make the similarities here not just similarities, but remnants of an ancient civilization... maybe this world's mythology is worth looking into, if something like that is the case.

[video]

[paladinlost]

From all the legends I've heard about, Pokémon have existed in this world as far as humans can remember. But it could be that their presence and influence were not so omnipresent at first. ...Or it could be that multiple worlds somehow based their holidays on the same concepts at the same time and gave them the same names, without ever communicating.

[video]

[hopeslastreward]

Humans do have limited lifespans, and the collective memory is not always completely accurate. There may have been a time without Pokémon in the past, but if there was, it was so many years ago that it would only manifest in extremely subtle ways. And as for your other point — there was a book I read at one time that elaborated on much the same thing. It had to do with the construction of archetypes across the world, between peoples who had no means of communicating with one another. Perhaps it was because of extremely primitive folktales that the different cultures had such similar holidays, or perhaps the human brain is just wired to look for those specific things to put emphasis on.

It’s really quite fascinating, isn’t it?

video;

[lullabytes]

You didn't get hurt falling down into those rooms, right?

[ He's lucky enough that he probably didn't. But she's still asking. ]

Mm...it's not too surprising that parts of our world were lifted for this one...or is it the other way around...?

video;

[hopeslastreward]

Oh, don’t worry about me! Apollo broke my fall. [Both times. The Tauros in question, visible behind Komaeda, huffs in annoyance.]

Well, that’s just the question of the day, isn’t it? [Komaeda smiles good-naturedly.] Although, perhaps another worthwhile question would be, “Who or what did the lifting in the first place”.

video;

[lullabytes]

...Is Apollo all right?

[ He looks all right, but... ]

Mm. That depends on if...you think this world was based on that game or if...you think that game was based on this world, doesn't it?

video;

[hopeslastreward]

Yes. I had a few Potions in my bag, so I healed him afterward. After all, I am relying on him as my primary means of transportation, so it's the least I can do...

[He's not doing it out of sympathy, obviously. He's doing it because he knows that he relies on Apollo, and Apollo will turn on Komaeda or flat-out leave if he's treated badly enough.]

Indeed it does. Since I haven't been here long enough to make any educated guesses, do you think you have a theory, Nanami-san?

[video]

[katostrophic]

It's funny you should mention that; I had the opportunity to speak to a lovely Kalosian woman named Diantha in April, and she showed me a picture of her home, Lumiose City.

[Kato looks fairly relaxed at the moment, all the things considered, and he's currently leaning against some nondescript wall (that definitely isn't in the Rocket Base, shush).]

If she hadn't told me just what it was she was showing me, I would have assumed it was a picture of Paris.

[video]

[hopeslastreward]

[Komaeda raises his eyebrows. This guy’s hair colour takes him by surprise — until he remembers that he’s basically in Children’s Anime World now, which means multicoloured hair is to be expected.]

What makes you say that?

[video]

[katostrophic]

There was an Eiffel Tower.

[Or, well, 'Prism' Tower or whatever the hell she called it. Something something Tower.]

After that, it was fairly hard to deny.

[video]

[enjoymyatelier]

Ah, those puzzles were fun back when I first arrived here... they're not particularly difficult, but I did enjoy exploring the ruins and seeing what they had to offer. It certainly would be nice if they didn't unceremoniously leave you in a heap on the floor below if you're not prepared, but such is the way of this place, I suppose...

As for the statue, it's also possible it was destroyed in some manner, either by someone's intent or by being exposed to the elements for too long. That's happened to an unfortunate number of priceless works of art, unfortunately...

[video]

[hopeslastreward]

Well, perhaps they were placed to discourage people from coming back? The civilization probably wouldn't put all this effort into creating puzzles if it wasn't hiding something... I have found a few interesting items so far, but nothing really worth protecting.

It really is a shame that statue is gone now, if it was ever there in the first place. It might have told us, at the very least, what a Pokémon looked like back then. Although Pokémon evolve in a different manner than typical animals do, would you think that a "survival of the fittest" law applies here, too?

[video]

[enjoymyatelier]

That's the thing, though --- the puzzles aren't that difficult, and I hope I don't spoil things too much for you by saying that the rewards never get quite that amazing. Granted, it's entirely possible someone already obtained the... whatever it is, but who knows.

Ah, actually, have you seen any of the fossil Pokemon yet? ...it's a bit strange to bring it up out of the blue, but there have been some instances of long-extinct Pokemon being brought back after millions of years. I actually have a few, myself.

And while I do feel as though the "evolution" Pokemon go through is honestly more like metamorphosis, I think the more traditional sort of evolution may happen, as well.

[faintwaves]

Your babbling isn't worthless.

[Just...just get that out in the open right away, why don't you Xion.]

Um...what's France?

[hopeslastreward]

Well... if I can explain something to you, then maybe it won't be quite as worthless.

[Always looking on the bright side, this one.]

France is a country in the world where I come from. I take it you didn't live on Earth before coming here.

oop sorry forgot to specify video

[faintwaves]

[A sigh, she gives him a sort of exasperated look but doesn't pursue the subject further.]

I lived...uh...

[In a World That Never Was.]

No, I guess not. I've seen beaches here, but not like the Destiny Islands. I haven't seen plants or landmarks similar to back..."home" either. [Actually that's not a bad thing at all.] I don't think that's such a bad thing, though.