Hey! Luna here. I have a double update for this week. This first one is some world-building tidbits that will hopefully provide some context. Some of these things will be expanded upon later in the actual story, but right now they're just here for context and information.
I.
The Nature system, Happiness gauge, and EXP system were developed by a Sinnohan researcher named Prof. Meredith Holly (mentioned briefly in the first chapter as Holly-Hakase). She was Prof. Rowan's wife and also worked on some of the more modern Poke Ball coding. In fact, she was on the team that worked to root out the Poison damage bug in the stasis system, thus preventing anymore Pokemon from dying of Poison outside of battle, as well as created a patch that allowed Pokemon to earn EXP points even after capturing another Pokemon. She died about eight years before the events of C'est La Vie.
II.
Certain moves are known for their lethality:
- "Execution moves" like Guillotine and Sheer Cold. For all their inaccuracy, the sheer power of them are instant killers. They are banned from most sanctioned battles.
- Rollout and Fury Cutter, or at least they can be. Their deadliness grows as they are used more and the momentum builds. It has also been noted that the aura powering the moves grows unstable over time with repeated use. Experts are still trying to decipher why.
- High-crit ratio moves, like Night Slash or Slash. They tend to hit major arteries or major aura circuits (known as "aura spots") that hold a majority of the Pokemon's aura. An excessive loss of either aura or blood can lead to death.
- Toxic. While in itself a status move, add-on moves like Venom Drench and Venoshock can actually flood a Pokemon's system with toxins that can remain for a long, long time and can increase risk of cancer or ineptitude. The move itself deposits a dosage of poison that is in itself potentially fatal, and can be even more fatal depending on the user of the move (based on the Toxicity Scale created twenty years ago). The long-term risks have labelled it a killer, but there is also a glitch in the Poke Ball coding in which Bad Poisoning can linger after a battle and cause damage the way Poisoning used to. It happens very rarely, but it has happened, so Trainers must be vigilant and are advised to apply Antidotes after Bad Poisoning immediately.
III.
Pokemon do possess the capacity to comprehend human languages, but their lingual processor tends to be smaller than that of humans, so they can only comprehend one human language at most. In the majority case, this is Common tongue, the language that the majority of humans speak in order to communicate from region to region. There are some region-specific languages, such as Kantonese and Kalosian, which are referred to as "secondary" languages and most Pokemon don't often learn them, as most traveling Trainers speak Common and wild Pokemon often learn human languages through exposure from said travelers.
The other prominent language spoken by Pokemon is what is referred to as the "wild tongue", a language that consists of unintelligible noises that, even today, experts have not fully translated. While use of the Common tongue among Pokemon has only been recorded as far as a few decades in the aftermath of the Blooming (i.e. the Great Kalosian War), but records of wild tongue have dated back as far as the earliest documents in recorded history. It is unknown how and why Pokemon suddenly developed the ability to comprehend human language.
For Pokemon raised in captivity, however, this is an entirely different story. Captivity-raised Pokemon often do not have knowledge of the wild tongue, proving that it is, in fact, not innate. In fact, most Pokemon raised in captivity end up demonstrating a comprehension of both Common and the secondary language prominent in that region, though they very rarely become fluent in the secondary language.
While there have been documented cases of Pokemon understanding all three—wild tongue, Common, and a secondary language—they are exceedingly rare.
IV.
I'm sure you've noticed by now that the various characters have been cursing to various gods and things, so here's a quick lexicon, or half a lexicon, of mythological figures that will be mention in various "oh my god" statements. I'm sure you will be able to guess who is who.
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Kalos
Le Filou: The Trickster, a figure in ancient Kalosian lore that was said to have the ability to rip open words and pull things through magic rings. When enraged, the Trickster wreaked havoc on Kalos, so the two Alchemists teamed up to create a device that could seal the Trickster's rage. The "bottle" was given to the Kalosian Dynasty for safekeeping and vanished from history after the Blooming.
Alchemists: Two entities who exist as foils to each other. The Alchimiste du Nord, or Alchemist of the North, is said to have learned the art of creation alchemy from the Goddess and served nobility, crafting castles and mansions from crystal and creating beautiful works of art. In contrast, the Alchimiste du Sud, or Alchemist of the South, was taught the art of destruction alchemy from the Grim Reaper, and served the farming class, flatting mountains and blasting holes in the ground so that steam could rise up. The Northern was said to be responsible for crafting the mountains and caverns in the north, while the Southern was to be responsible for the flat, humid climate of Southern Kalos.
Serf de Vie/Deeuse: The "Hart of Life" or "Goddess". The main deity in Kalos, to whom various churches and shrines still exist. She is said to cast down blessings of longevity, good health, fertility, and kismet. There are various holy days and symbols connected to the Goddess, one of which is a "saltire", or an "x". According to legend, she was a champion of humanity and had various priestesses and oracles, all females, though none took a vow of celibacy due to the Goddess's connotations with childbirth and procreation. She is often called upon by midwives, doctors, apothecaries, and expecting mothers.
Ailes de Mort/Grande Faucheuse: The "Wings of Death" or "Grim Reaper". The antithesis of the Goddess, the Grim Reaper is respected yet feared for their ability to cast down plagues of pestilence, famine, barrenness, and suffering. Unlike the Goddess, who receives various holy days and has an entire religion built around her, the Reaper is seen as more of a devil-like figure, and there is one day (Reaper's Hunt) dedicated to them as sort of a solemn reverence. Over time, however, this became the holiday known as Halloween, in which children dressed in costumes so that the Grim Reaper would not identify them.
L'Equilibreur: "The Balancer", an enigmatic figure in Kalosian myth. It is said to maintain the land and keeps the Goddess and the Grim Reaper from clashing. Described as omnipotent and all-seeing, its following fell out of power after the Blooming (also called the Cataclysm) in favor of the Goddess. One of the few stories of L'Equilibreur that still survive is one claiming the deity could rip the earth apart, and other being that it swallowed Death whole in the aftermath of the Blooming. Interestingly enough, a similar figure called the "Watcher" exists in Alola that very much parallels the Balancer, which is odd because Kalos has had almost no cultural presence in Alola until recently.
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Hoenn*
*These are mostly used by Shauna and her family
Behemoth: A great beast who was said to be born of the Earth and wished to make the world hot and dry with magma. A sun and fertility god, legends claimed the beast used to be violent until the Great Serpent calmed its heart.
Leviathan: A great beast who was said to be born of the Sea and wished to make the world wet and silent with water. A rain and fertility god, legends claimed the beast used to be violent until the Great Serpent calmed its heart.
Ziz/Great Serpent: The patron god of the Draconid tribes, called either Ziz or the Great Serpent. It is a sky god and said to be a champion of humanity. According to legend, the Great Serpent defended humanity from falling stars, and then chose champions on which to join it in the ancient battles to calm the Behemoth and Leviathan. One legend claims that said champions often had four followers, which may have influenced the introduction of the Champion-Elite-Four combination, which was first made official in Hoenn.
Wishing Star: A spirit who appeared in ancient times. According to legend, it arrived on earth in a falling star, which angered the Great Serpent, but was saved from the Great Serpent's wrath by one of its champions, who pitied the poor creature. In return, it offered humanity seven wishes, one for each day, before falling into a deep slumber.
Golems: Defenders who were created to protect humanity from the might of the Behemoth and the Leviathan. They were put to sleep after the threat vanished and will awaken should the beasts ever rise again.
Colossus: Said to have pulled Hoenn away from the Old Continent following the wrath of the Alpha/Maker. This figure is an odd blend of Hoennian and Sinnohan legend, leading theologians to believe that it was carried over by Kanto-Johto Crusades after Sinnoh religion spread to the sister regions. However, there is no evidence of the figure existing in Kanto or Johto.
Twins/Eon Twins: The Brother and Sister, pagan gods worshiped by islanders. They are thought to be protectors of children and siblings. Also called the Twin Mirages.
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Kanto*
*Mostly used by Celestine
Great Birds/Mirage Trinity: Folk deities that represent the changing of the seasons and the balance of power. They are as follows, the Kocho ("ice bird"), Raicho ("thunderbird"), and Encho ("flame bird"). Following differs from area to area, some believing only in one, or only in two, or in variations, but most of these sub-figures can be cast under the original Trinity.
Genesis/Child/Christ: Originally a Kantonian figure, it was adopted under the Sinnohan religion of the Alpha. Only exists in the Kantonian variation of the Sinnohan creation myth and is said to live on an island out in the sea, where life first began.
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Sinnoh*
*Semi-universal. Sinnoh has a rich history of Imperialism and several Crusades to boot. Ancient Sinnoh discovered the New Continent and colonized it. These colonies would eventually fight Sinnoh for their independence and became the Kalos and Unova regions. As for Kanto and Johto, Sinnoh was just north, and launched several Crusades to spread what they believed to be the "true religion". When Kanto and Johto in turn colonized Hoenn, this religion was carried over. The same could be said for Alola when Unova overtook it temporarily. There are some sects in every other region today that still worship Sinnohan gods, but in some cases the religion has been altered and influenced by the native culture.
Alpha/Maker/God: The high Sinnohan deity, said to have created the universe and all things inhabiting it, starting with Earth. According to legend, the first point of creation was the Coronet Mountain Range. Oddly enough, the Mountains are the oldest documented minerals in the world, which supports this story.