[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

In response where Mesprit is...

"No.  I've not even told Dagny that. Feel free to speculate about where and when I met the Being of Emotion, but I'm neither confirming nor denying anything concerning that.  I'm not risking Mesprit getting unwanted company waiting on its metaphorical doorstep that might mess with my ability to get there again without raising any kind of a fuss."

In response to folklore...

"The Hog Potato Swamp...hehe...if the 'ends of the earth' are anywhere, the most distant location in the region is definitely the first place to look.  Sounds like we might have to visit Arrowroot Village..."

In response to considering failure...

"If we fail, Ventus, we have no other options to fall back on right now.  I don't know of any other Legendaries in a position to do something about these vines...and that message suggests there's no other options with its wording.  We either wake Mesprit and discover what to do next...or Creshire gets smothered by those damn vines."

"And I am NOT letting those vines destroy my (and everyone else's) home."

In response to teaching Old Unown...

"If you wish, you can join me when Solomon helps me with understanding the language.  It's tricky, as contextual as it is concrete.  Not every symbol has a consistent, single meaning.  Unless you have a key like the one I'm making (which is unlikely to even be close to being finished) or an incredibly good memory, it's going to be difficult to learn.  If you commit to it, I can try and teach you.  I'm nowhere near fluent with it yet myself, though, and Solomon might still have some nuances to point out that haven't come up yet."

In response to the pot...

"For reference, Dagny, Ventus found a pot with a strange inscription in the middle of Fireweed Forest.  It read as follows after I filled in a few of the blanks:"

*Nathan flips back to his Creshire notes*

Ere man descends to layer four
A king must show the king's own door.

"I suspect it has to do with the location of the Throne of Skulls.  And the location of the source of whatever is manipulating things from the background. The bottom fourth floor of the Ruins is rather deep down...but we'll likely be exploring the Ruins in its entirety if we hope to win this war..."

In response to the Sharer of Unselfish Love...

"I...I'm not sure I can convince Kirlia by myself...he...has every reason he could ever need to care for me.  I can talk to him about it, but...I don't know if he'll care, or if it would be a genuine change.  Not unless he has reason to..."

Nathan looks at Ventus.

"An open heart is a two way street, Ventus.  I'm the only one who's ever cared for him as far as I know.  Can you blame him for being so attached?"

Nathan looks at Shiva.

"Maybe if he has a reason to care, he will.  I can think of one reason he might be more receptive towards you, Shiva.  But I doubt one reason is enough.  This isn't going to be a fast, immediate change."

He looks at the dull Premier Ball next.

"...he means the world to me...I...don't want him to get hurt ever, ever again...and I don't expect him to want to open his heart to just anyone right away...not after what he seems to have been through..."

Nathan's grip on the dull Premier Ball tightens ever so slightly.

'Damn you, Almanac...'

At Nathan response to Valder's question, Ventus could only a firm nod of approval despite his animosity towards the boy, as the location of a sealed and partially powerless Legendary Pokémon was EXTREMELY valuable and sensitive information that only the bare minimum should know about. 'I suspect that Merspirt's domicile is located in the general vicinity of Ginger Town, most likely somewhere within the Vapor Falls due to the Legend's affinity towards large bodies of water and that being the direction Nathan was chasing Callam down. I won't investigate further, though, since that would invite trouble to almost everyone in the region if things go horribly arry....'

The researcher also gave another nod of support to visiting Arrowroot Village, giving his own two cent on the matter by saying : "Agreed. I was originally planning to travel to Hog Potato Swamp to conduct my research there and obtain a Pokémon for further study, so I say we should leave for the village at our soonest convenience if at all possible."

The young trainer's pessimistic attitude and lack of foresight, however, earned him frown this time and a sigh, before they chided them rather gently, all things considered. "Nathan, alternative measures must be planned and put into place, as if we fail and their is no back up plan, then it is as you said, all of Cheshire is lost to the Vines, as it smothers the breath out of each an every individual or....worse." Ventus then turns to address Dagney, displaying none of the familiarity they had with her if she was the egnimatic trader he worked with in the past, and spoke with them directly. "Dagney,as the Gym Leader and steward of the Stair, I imagine you already have contingencies in place should the Vines break containment or the crisis concerning the Skull Ruins escalates, but have you already made preparations in the event that Nathan and the rest of us should fail in our tasks? Do you think any other regions might be able to rendor aid to Cheshire, should its League and Authorities struggle against the onslot of Vines? More than anything right now, save intelligence, we need options to fight whatever is plotting this fair lands subjication."

Concerning learning Old Unown, he gave Nathan a nod of his head and left it at that for now. While they were well versed in history and lore, he was a Researcher with a sharp mind, keen memory, and notebooks that he could record information, so learning the language would not be too much of an obsticale for him to overcome.

Ventus gave the boy a passive stare at the comments about Kirlia, until he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out a heavy breath that conveyed his understanding. "No, I do not. That just means we'll have to work that much harder for Kirlia to open up to outsiders, though, doesn't it? Be at peace, Nathan, for so long as Kirlia is with you, I do not doubt that he is in good, loving hands."