(08-12-2018, 04:42 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

Spoiler

"...no, those won't help.  Telperion's studies suggest that those who get hit by the legendary FLASH HM need professional treatment and some rest to fully recover...I can...kinda see...but I can definitely 'see' why they determined that...yeesh...now I'm wondering how the heck that Bulbasaur knows the move...full powered HMs aren't easy things to come by..."



*listens carefully to the data presented*

"...huh.  That's a lot of light based attacks that it's got there...must like bright light a lot...he'd probably get along very well with Forthright, too..."

*listens*

"...well, let me think about that for a little bit.  This Bulbasaur...it knows an HM...even if it is the weakest one...that's still...really, really useful...and he definitely seems like he can hold his own, too...there's also another task I can complete to get that Claw Fossil revived...I need to consider keeping this rocky Bulbasaur around, to be honest...Laurelin isn't in any rush, and I kinda want to talk to the little dude before I decide anything..."


...then he gets a little...nervous as soon as Terra mentions Duskull.  It's fairly obvious because Nathan immediately stops mid-eye rub and starts listening veeeerrry carefully.  Anyone looking at him can tell that something definitely caught his attention just then.

"...yeah...better...do that..."

(08-12-2018, 06:18 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

"....Okay. Tell me if you do need anything, Nathan. Will help the best I can."

(…)

At the confirmation of ANOTHER Illusion species of Pokémon, Terra is briefly startled before becoming quite intrigued, uncrossing his arms to started stroking his beard in thought/interest for a bit.

"Hm......interesting. What are Zorua and Zoroark like, Nathan? Might want one, if they sound like good Pokémon. *Beat*…Please? (…) Oh, and would.....Juilet *Pensive look as he memorizes her name* like some marshmallows? Sweet treat help calm Pokémon down, from my.....experience."

(…)

The mountainous man simply nods his head and re-cross his arms in response to the clever trainer's decision, for as far as he was concerned P-Bulba. was their Pokémon to do with however they want, be they keep or give it away. Given how much he deliberates over a multitude of things, he perfectly understand their desires to mull things over first, and is more than willing to wait!

Nathan suddenly freezing up did [i]not [/i]go unnoticed by Terra for once, as even an unInsight man as himself can tell when someone's bothered (most of the time, anyways). Partly because he's rather keen on people's/Pokémon reaction when focus on them......and partially from experience, due to [i]repeatedly [/i]being the cause of striking discomfort/negative feelings in others. Woe be his social skills, for they are terrible indeed!

*Suddenly looks worried AGAIN!*

".....Nathan? What's wrong? …Did I....say something that....troubled you? *Appears thoughtful briefly* ….Was it....about Duskull?"

Oh dear. Just when he was starting to [i]really [/i]bonding with them, he goes and puts his foot in his mouth yet again...

(08-12-2018, 06:44 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

Spoiler

"...Zorua and Zoroark are...tricksy.  Very deceptive, and their abilities line up very well with that lifestyle and battle strategy.  Doesn't necessarily mean they're bad pokemon, but...they're Dark types for a reason.  Met a wild Zoroark right before I encountered Juliet...was protecting its kits, and nothing more.  Nothing bad about that.  The species is often incredibly difficult to encounter since they're always disguising themselves, and are really rare species on top of that."  And that's all Nathan has to say on that matter if we're keeping it brief.


*squints at Juliet*  "...she's a bird...kind of...she might take them, but she'd probably prefer the birdseed I have on hand...but she'll probably try to keep her distance if you approach her, I imagine.  She only really approached me because she gets along really well with Gallade."

------

"...just...be careful...Skull Ruins Ghosts are...not to be trifled with...like those Sableye that hounded Captain Bridge and his men until they starved to death in Mt. Sentry's tunnels...their spirits are still haunted by those very same Sableye to this day..."  *shudder*

That encounter definitely left a long lasting impression.

(08-12-2018, 09:01 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

"...Ah. Hm...I will have to think more about this before I decide. Learn more about them, too. Don't like.....underhandedness - Is that the right word? - but having a clever, smart, and.....capable Pokémon still sounds good. Would get along well with Genie too........I think. *Shakes his head* Will think it over. *Smiles* Thank you for the info."

(…)

"*Nods* Won't bother her then. Don't want to scare her, or make her too nervous. *Smiles* Glad she has made good friend with you."

(…)

"Oh.  ……Oh."

The rugged wanderer expression lit up in comprehension.....before it dropped like a peddle in a pond as he realized just what was bothering Nathan. He looked off to the side and rubbed the back of his head, appearing distinctly uncomfortable .

"....I know. Ven.....warned about it all. Greatly. Of how ….the place, the Ghosts.....*Face scrunched up* 'are the most wretched, vile, and CURSED things I have had the poor fortune to encounter in existence, conceivable and BEYOND.' Also told me NEVER go there......'without the full support of everyone in the group and with all the preparation you can afford, unless you have the direst need to go their ASAP, or you have a death wish most earnest and sincere.' "

*Shakes his head*

"Wouldn't have gone there......but I had to. Heart.....told me he needed to go to Ruins. Wanted to get a Natu for Teleporting around Cheshire. *Sighs* Bad idea. Tried to tell him that, but he.....insisted. So I decided to go with him. To do my job and protect him....and make sure he stayed safe as a friend."

He grimaces as memories of their trek into the dead and accursed flooded back, of the nebulous, insidious, and foul things even HE felt, and of the dangers they Encountered....

"...We were attacked by lots of Ghosts. Four Duskulls, one holding a gold mask.....and one strange Dusclops that pretended to help us. Lovely and...Gustav took care of small Ghosts, but he Fainted due to Destiny bond. Big crawfish hurt Duskull badly, before me and Genie scared them off. Battle was not hard.....but it felt...…*Twitches* dangerous. Now I understand why Ven warned me......greatly."

*Beat*

"....Took.....opportunity to catch on of the Duskull, and Heart was able to catch a Natu later. We got back to Cress safely.....but the Ghosts were always watching. Watching....."

Saying that, Terra went silent, head tilted downwards as he looked.....unnerved and troubled by his own recounting. Strong and tough as he is, the Skull Ruins were intimidating and harrowing for him still. That's some bad mojo right there....

(08-12-2018, 09:44 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote: Lord Windos

Spoiler

"...few who have ventured into the depths of the Ruins come back sane, they say...if at all.  The place has been haunted with all sorts of powerful Ghosts since the Last King, Sarimanok, was overthrown by the League...truly, it's a place to be feared...you were only on the surface, right?  Tust me, it'll get far, far worse the deeper down you go..."


...

"...not that all Ghosts are like those vile mockeries of Sableye that haunt Captain Bridge...some trainers even successfully tame Ruins Ghosts...but in general, the entire region is generally wary of the type...with good reason...Ventus didn't even see the true horrors that place has to offer..."

...Nathan's heard way, way too many horror stories concerning the Skull Ruins to ever not take the place seriously.

Topic change time!  "...golden mask?  That Ghost was likely a Yamask, then.  Said to be a pokemon created from the soul of a person who's passed on, the mask they carry an effigy of what they looked like in life...very rare...and rather...capable at crippling opponents with ease..."

...Nathan sits on the ground.  Despite it still raining, Nathan seems to have forgotten about that for the most part.

"...Gallade could feel you tense up whenever I mention Sableye, by the way.  I don't mean to pry...just...I find that a little odd...very...specific..."

He's half expecting a response, half not.  Is it very tactful to just straight up mention something like that?  Not really.  But usually, if someone's that straightforward about something like that, there's a reason for it, right?

(08-12-2018, 11:22 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

Terra looked almost taken aback by the mere mention that the Skull Ruins could and was FAR more odious and treacherous than he first expect/was informed, his eyebrows fully raised and sense of disbelief + greater apprehension around him, before eventually he nods his head. He didn't know much about history or legends - heck, he barely had had a basic understand of his home region's mythos/timeline period, let alone anything on Cheshire (Portfollio/Ven info excluded) - but he trusted both Ven's and Nathan's word/expertise implicitly. If one says that dead place is just plain bad news, and the other says its a horrifically grim from top to bottom, he'll believe them.

"....Ven didn't say much about history of Skull Ruin and Cheshire, so you will have to teach me more about them later. *Turns towards Nathan, and looks him in the eye* Know now that I won't ever go their again. Not without the group, or without telling anyone else. Promise. *Glances off to the side* …Sorry...…"

Yanmask's identity being revealed would have served to alleviate his gloom a bit, as 'new' Pokémon always managed to pique his interests.....

…Were it not for the repeated mention of Sableye and that incident . Every time the gem eating fiends were brought up, it never failed to cause all the muscular fibers of his being to seize up like he'd be jolted by Melly, followed by faint but real spikes of dread lancing through him.

"...Hm, should have caught them too, then. Might have been able to sell them to buy more supplies or battle Items. *Shrugs* Oh well."

He did his best to conceal his reaction, though. Terrifically so - he was naturally stoic and had an EXCELLENT physical control over himself, which combined with his distracting comment made it all too easy.

Why?

Simple: He didn't want to visibly cower/be aggravated about just talking about them (He was tougher than that!), and he didn't want to cause Nathan to worry anymore than he done so already.

Sadly or not, even the best poker face in the world couldn't hide everything, least of all from an empathetic and Psychic Pokémon such as a Gallade. When they (via their trainer) gave him away, the mountain of a man was caught off guard, fully tensing and grimaced openly for several moments, until he got a hold of himself and did a full 180 turn away from them both. A couple of deep breaths could be heard, before he went silent, with only the sound of rain and from the Pokémon out being heard.

Speaking of which, Melly was now sitting down next to her master, pressing herself against their leg and letting out a comforting hum. Genie, meanwhile, gave Nathan the equivalent of a single eyebrow raised deadpan + sassy look the clearly conveyed (via Gallade 'translation') 'Real smooth and clever there, half pint,' before twist mid-air to reach over and pat her master comfortingly on his shoulder.

It wasn't until several minutes passed that Terra finally spoke up in a quiet, subdued tone.

"....Long story. …Don't really want to talk about it......but. .....But I will, if you want. You trust me. Showed and gave respect and.....guidance many times. Even though you don't know me, or have a reason to. *Nods* ….So I will return such goodness to you in part, by telling you about why I....don't like Sableye. *Tilts his head down*...If that is want you want.

Clear as day, he truly was reluctant to speak about it, but he both enough kinship with the boy to offer to share that personal story of his. 

Question now is, will they ask?

(08-12-2018, 11:47 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote:

Spoiler

-----------

Of course, Nathan can't really see Genie's expression.  Gallade can sense it and communicates it, obviously, as mentioned already.  Nathan just shrugs in Genie's general direction.  He's being blunt for a reason here.  Multiple ones, in fact.  Smooth isn't the name of the game right now.

(…)

"...not gonna lie, it would be nice to know a little bit more about you.  Good and bad both."

So...yes.  Kinda.

"...maybe we should save this for when we get back to the Center and can find a nice, dry, quiet room, though.  We've been out her for a little while, and we should probably be getting back soon...and I'd definitely like to be able to see stuff again..."

(08-13-2018, 01:11 PM)Lord Windos Wrote:

Spoiler

Genie's look became even more deadpan  at the boy's non-chalant reaction to driving her partner up the wall, and had to resist the urge to roll her eyes and face palm. In the end, she decided to ignore them, and dedicate her focus on her partner. Men....they can be sooo incomprehensible.

…

…

 "....*Sighs* So be it."

Their answer was as the simple monk half dreaded, half resignatedily expected. He REALLY didn't want to talk about it, nor about that time of his life, but if they wanted answers...well, he'll give them. It was the least he could, for all they've done.

Just before he could turn around and launch into the tale, Nathan's interjection brought him up short, causing him to pause for several seconds before he nodded his head.

"....Alright. Let us go back."

Terra turns to his Dragon Djinni of the Desert, and simply ask them "Can me and Nathan ride you back to Cress? Please? He can't see well because of FLASH, and don't want him to get hurt going down the slopes. Also don't want him ambushed by Pokémon too."

(From what I've seen, a Flygon is big enough for about 2 people to semi-comfortably ride one, and Genie is certainly strong and tough enough to handle the weight. However, I'm not too sure, and Genie usually disdains giving rides to anyone but her master and children, so I thought it be prudent to ask!)

If she can/allows, that's one way the two gentleman can get back to Cress. If not, they're roughing it!

*Transition*

However they managed to, both the mountainous man and clever trainer arrived back, and after Nathan got their eyes treat (or started the process) they escorted him to a private room, with the two of them sitting around a table however they want.

Appearance wise, Terra looked calm and more collected than he had been back on the Great Divide's slopes, but beneath it he was feeling HIGHLY nervous, great reluctance, fear, mild stress, and....melancholy.

"....Need some......time to...…prepare and....remember everything, so please wait."

(And this will be the break! I'll give Nathan a chance to react, and then the next post is the big story!)

(08-13-2018, 04:10 PM)Dragonstrike Wrote: (...)

Nathan quietly and patiently waits for Terra to begin the story.  He knows this is sensitive territory.