[ He nods even as he stares into the distance, lips pressed tight as he forces himself to take a drink. ]

Not so different. The Archadian Empire was in lock step with our major laboratories. Their research changed drastically the last decade, though Mist usage for magick is much older. Started a war too.

[ He notices the hand drift to Sephiroth's hair and refrains from asking if its uncommon, then. Appearance can be its own delicate wound. ]

Yes. There are theories hume children could be if they were raised with it, but hume life spans are so much shorter, and our constitutions are weaker. I don't think we'd ever reach parity.