(open) my own secret ceremonials

[anciently]

Who: Aerith and YOU!
What: January catchall.
Where: Various, see within!
When: Throughout the month.
Content Warnings: Will mark top levels as needed.



( top levels with locations below )

Comments

[anciently]

"Hmm?" Aerith glances over at the stranger as he speaks, but her gaze soon drifts to the paper in his hands. Her smile softens with curiosity, and she tilts her head to peer at the surface, where he moves the pen back and forth with practice motions.

"Wow...you're really good," she says, awed. "I wish I could draw like that."

If only to capture small moments like these that she'd like to remember for a long time, or to share them with others.

[symbolofstrength]

"Thank you. I do have a few decades of practice, though." Once he finishes his drawing, he caps his pen and holds out the book (full of more drawings of his various observations about the wildlife and scenery) in silent offering to let her see.

Before electronics were working, drawings like these were the only way to make a visual record of their surroundings... but now that they are, wouldn't a camera be better at 'capturing moments' for posterity?

[anciently]

"Practice really does make perfect! These are amazing..." She leans in to look as he offers the book, flipping delicately through with wide, impressed eyes. "It's good that we have someone with your talent to record all this!"

If only, as he's thinking, because there haven't always been the most reliable ways to do so otherwise. After a few moments, she returns the book with a smile.

"Are you a professional artist?" she asks, tilting her head with the question.

[symbolofstrength]

He just gives a humble smile at that, because, well, it'd be awkward to just thank her twice in a row. At her question, though, he shakes his head.

"Oh, no! This is just a hobby I've had since I was a boy. I'm a scientist, I study Pokemon."

Taking back the book, he gently tugs at the lapels of his labcoat, the one he offered earlier, in demonstration.

[anciently]

"Oh - Pokemon! I know a little about that..." Aerith seems to light up a little at the mention, nodding enthusiastically. "Blue and Raihan taught me about them. Plus, I have Mireille: I found her here, and I've been told she's...part Pidgey?"

The creature isn't with her at the moment, but she makes a mental note to show off the hybrid Pokemon next chance she gets.

"I haven't spoken to a Pokemon scientist yet, though... I bet that's a really interesting field." Especially to someone who doesn't have Pokemon in her world at all...

[symbolofstrength]

"Oh, those little... chimeras! Yes, I've met a few myself." He flips back toward the beginning of the notebook, to where he first sketched the Pokemon that resemble the animals here, and holds it out again. "This is a Pidgey, the bird there." So she can see how it looks like the creatures here, and recognize one if she ever sees it.

"It is! I could study Pokemon for a hundred lifetimes and probably come no closer to unraveling all of their mysteries. Of course, it's dangerous as well!" He laughs at that, but really, if you look closely at his hands, you can see various scars (a scratch here, a burn there, etc) of various ages dotting them, and there are likely more hidden under his clothes.

[anciently]

"Chimeras, huh?" She hadn't heard the term used in reference to the little creatures before, but it makes sense, and she nods as he displays the sketches. "Yep, those are the ones!"

What he says makes her smile again, and though she doesn't notice the marks on his hands, she can understand the sentiment.

"That's really incredible. I hope you're able to continue your work while you're here, even if it's a little different."

[symbolofstrength]

"Oh, yes! While the creatures here likely aren't strictly Pokemon, they're fascinating all the same." He pulls back his notebook, tucking it away in a labcoat pocket, before looking over at her again.

"So, is there something in particular that brings you up here?" He cocks his head in curiosity. "Or are you just exploring?"