[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Go ahead and post anything you want to say to Bridge. Questions to which he responds positively will take place before those angering him.

(Thank you! I'm a little busy now though, in a little more than an hour I shall be able to post properly.)

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

[...]

Bridge nods. He and his men are now positioning themselves in a more defensible arrangement.

[...]

Bridge now gestures at one of his soldiers, who gives Ventus a sad smile. You see now that a few translucent fern rhizomes have taken root in his ghostly skin - the same fuzz you saw on the image of the grave. Only Nathan knows the significance of the broken dogtag around the soldier's neck, held together only by ghostly bonds. That's how soldiers are buried when they die in the line of duty, far from home. Their commanding officer snaps the chain of their dogtag and buries it with them, leaving the chains above and the tag itself below. It's a tradition that hasn't needed to be practiced much in the modern day.

You can indeed see the resemblance between Bridge and the rooted soldier.

Ventus couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief that he'd correctly interpreted the message Captain Bridge was trying to teach him/them all, and when he notices how him and his brigade was fortifying themselves he suddenly had a sinking feeling in his gut that he knew why that was the case.....

" I thank you for teaching me this, Captain. The only questions now are thus: Are those Sableye lurking in mists are responsible for your guardedness, and if so.....would you care for our help in subduing them? Though I am no longer a soldier myself, I am more than willing to bear arms with my Pokemon once more to aid in your defense if you allow, Captain."

Between Bridge indicating the fallen soldier and Nathan helpfully pipping in with his explaination, the researcher now fully understood the meaning behind that now grim date, and offered both brothers a similarly melancholy smile as he bows his head in sympathy.

"The more we speak, the more similarities I find between ourselves, for I too have lost my own brother to.....tragedy as well. I keenly know the pain of losing your loved ones.....having them torn away from you without warning........how it all spurs you onwards for their shake, so I understand what you endured. You have my deepest sympathies, and I hope you eventually found peace with his death in your life......"

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

(Posting this part, then I'll be off for a little again for the sake of dinner. Shouldn't take too long!)


Azumarill remained close in Shiva's arms at first, even if the fae mouse was very battleready and completely unafraid. Noticing this touched her, and a last squeeze later she placed her down by her side again. Both she and especially Yena were silenced by a friendly yet demanding hand-gesture however - those Ghosts they have met here pose no threat, so there is no need for any agressive actions. They stay outside of their Balls however, just in case,

At first, Shiva deeply bows to the Captain and his two companions, slowly she raises again and places her hair back before she reaches out to stroke over Dizzy's white head. "The Future Sight that hit you... It came from this Pokemon that's currently under my care, and I honestly ask for forgiveness over this, Captain Bridge. It could not be seen by me who was approaching us, from all mist and clanking of metal I intuitively grew scared and hoped for my own Pokemon to defend me of any attackers that'd approach us with ill intentions. Now, I know you pose no threat, so I'm sorry that I leaped into early conclusions encouraged by being asking to prepare for a battle...."

"Atheneum, or the Secret Library which I prefer to call it, you mentioned - it acting as a 'lodestone' if it too seeks those who are in search, you said. Actions make a difference - that I know. Aggressive actions are what I'm usually averse to under normal conditions, Atheneum will know -  It's....soothing to hear from you that it's noticed. Thank you." She bows once more, not so deeply as at first though. "Yet, this also means that the place we seek out is aware that in nature, the killing for food and self-preservation is not an uncommon thing, and may know that I don't want to deny something that's all but natural - but it knows I'll pray for the soul of the slain. As Ventus here hinted," if possible and allowed, she carefully strokes over his hand, "good and bad may be way too often two sides of the same medal."

She continues after a small break. "The Sentry Fern you mentioned... By that, do you mean the Central Fern down in the mystical cavern of ice and grass? ...We all entered this cavern, saw this Fern, met its presence. What I found weird and intriguing was that...this Fern called for me. All silently, and I'm not sure whether my mind was playing tricks on me or not, I've actively trained and am still training Pokemon with strong psychic power. But, anyway, I felt being dragged to the Fern and its might. When I was close, 'it' seemed happy that I came, it welcomed me - I felt good in its presence. Protected, guarded, pure, safe despite there were a ton of wild Pokemon directly nearby. I recognized this feeling - it dwells through the whole mountain. In my eager, I wished for some reminder of this protective feeling - it eventually came as one of the glowing fern leaves...well, 'joined' me as I've plucked it, and my Furret 'captured' a bit of the shadows that enwrapped the Central Fern to accompany it, I'll show you the jar if needed."

"I'm feeling...almost blessed by this alone..... But yet I'm innocent how I shall interpret this. Is there...more than the eye can see, or am I better off accept this as nothing more than a generous gift? I did feel that there's definitely more about the Central Fern itself, it can't be otherwise. ...One thing's for sure though, I'll keep this fern alive. I'll...care for it, and will bring it with me to the surface..."


'Sprites' the ghost of Captain Bridge also mentioned - inevitably, Shiva had to think of the four elements - Earth, Water, Air and Fire; above it all Aether as the quintessence.

[Iron]

"The Sentry Fern is what makes Mt. Sentry what it is. It is what allows my brigade to reform and guard this place once more, though every day be torture. It is what causes the Patrat to climb and gaze about, the Furret and Onix to burrow and explore, the Sentret to stand on their tails and warn their fellows. It is the source of watchfulness, though it is shrouded in purest darkness."

[Dragonstrike]

"The Sentry Fern you mentioned... By that, do you mean the Central Fern down in the mystical cavern of ice and grass?

"...it's v-very possible I m-made a m-mistake with the tr-translation.  S-sentry Fern does sound about r-right, thinking about it...and I was g-guessing what the last two s-symbols meant...and this is known as Mt. S-sentry after all...Snivy didn't complain when I said Central, though, so I guess it's also technically a s-suitable title...if not the c-correct one..."

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

"The Sentry Fern is what makes Mt. Sentry what it is. It is what allows my brigade to reform and guard this place once more, though every day be torture. It is what causes the Patrat to climb and gaze about, the Furret and Onix to burrow and explore, the Sentret to stand on their tails and warn their fellows. It is the source of watchfulness, though it is shrouded in purest darkness."

"The 'source of watchfulness'..." She repeated in a lower and awestruck voice. What a peaceful ring this had to her ears... Yet a barely markable bitterness tinged in it. "I see. That means, this Fern has mysterious...well, 'powers' that go beyond our understanding, correct? I realized early that the fern leaves we encountered along our way are way more than ordinary plants, but it seems like without the Fern, all would be nothing. The Pokemon inside Mount Sentry seem to take their energy and vitality from it, it grants them protectiveness and a...home inside this mountain, in return Pokemon like these Torterra and Weavile care for it. It's as if the WHOLE mountain is ONE symbiosis..." Whoahw.

"....Please, Captain Bridge, has someone ever tried to reveal some of these mysteries surrounding this Fern, bring a bit of light into this purest darkness? If...I could do so, even just a little, I'd feel like I can contribute a part to this symbiosis and repay it even just a bit for its care and gift. I'm just a human that dwells up on the surface, looking at how to get by, relying of my Pokemon companions. I may not know HOW I could and who or where I could turn to if I'd wish to discover the background of observations concerning my fern, if at all, but..." ... "I'm keeping shut about the Central Fern if that's how it's suppossed to be, never would I desire to accidently allure the wrath of it, or harm the peacefulness and unity that dwells in the cave of ice and grass. Yet I...am seeking for knowledge, enlightment."

[Iron]

"I know little of the Fern's secrets, except for what knowledge relates to my role as guardian in these labyrinthine tunnels."

[Lord Windos]

Ven was entirely silent while his girlfriend was discussing the Central/Sentry Fern ('My Translation WAS right...sorta.') with Captain Bridge, though when she began to speak of her personal experience with the genius loci and start asking probing question of its origins/nature/essence  a distinctly....uncomfortable and worried expression appeared on his face. He well knows of the mystical lass' affinity with all things fae, arcane, occult, and supernatural (much to his own personal distaset, but perfectly willing to accept/tolerate in her case), but the way she spoke in.....reverence and bliss of the connection she held with the titanic plant and subsequent curiosity smacked him as.......forboading and perilous, to put it mildly. 'Oh dear Reshirim.....I hope the Sentry Fern hasn't bewitched my dear Shiva or does not leads her astray......I don't know what I could do in that either case, save keep a close eye on her to prevent her from befalling the same fate as.... .........'

For now, though, he kept his thoughts and reactions about this to himself, as causing a scene is FAR from ideal in the group's current scenario....

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Oh. Protectively and to a degree apologizing, Shiva raised both hands. "I won't ask you to share that knowledge. That'd be disrespectful towards you, and goes against my desire to find out about things myself. All that is left then is to observe things, keep my gifted fern alive - If the Fern itself approves of me desirering to find out more, I guess, no, I FEEL like it'll show itself."

Or so Shiva hoped. Believed? Both... She hasn't anything more to add or ask.

[Iron]

"Wait until the Sableye come in close...then we shall all deal with them, together! I will give the signal. It won't keep them down forever, but it will grant us a pleasant respite." He salutes.