[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Pre-room

Nathan blinks a few times when Ventus makes his comments on the Swords of Justice.  Has he forgotten their full story?  Or was he not as familiar with it as the Tao Trio's?

"...Unovan lore implies we once lived completely separately, actually.  It's said the Swords of Justice only truly separated themselves from humanity though after a careless war between humans burned a pokemon inhabited forest to the ground.  Terrakion cleared the path, destroying boulders and even castles that stood in the way of the pokemon fleeing from the uncontrollable flames.  Virizion scouted ahead using its speed, directing the group away from the flames despite the risk the fire posed to itself.  And Cobalion led the way, its intimidating gaze and unwavering, iron will daring the humans who had caused the disaster to cross their path...that's also the day they were said to have found Keldeo, orphaned and with nowhere left to go now that its home had been destroyed...the Swords had no reason to even give humanity a chance anymore, seeing such careless cruelty, however unintentional it had been...and so they took in Keldeo themselves...and fled..."

"...the legends imply that location was where the Moor of Icirrus is today, and that the trio trained their new fourth member far, far away from it, likely deep in southern Unova since the moor is almost as far north as you can possibly get..."

"...that war was a folly that turned the Swords' legend into myth as they vanished from human sight until very recently.  I've read that Rosa was met by the trio during her journey to become Champion...if that's true...it's a good sign...it means they're beginning to trust humanity again, see that we are trying to work with pokemon instead of against them...no signs of Keldeo, though...I wonder what happened to it in the end..."

"...it's an old, dusty tale, but I can't help but think there's some truth to it...that they and other Legends are watching what we do, how we interact with those we share this world with...it's why Mesprit vanished here in Creshire as well..."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Room

Nathan turns down the incense.  "...I'm fine.  Just need to...stay focused..."

...

"...maybe Raphael being around wouldn't be such a bad idea, though..."

Kirlia subtly shakes his head at Ventus in such a way that Nathan doesn't notice.  No, that's not what he's trying to do.  If there's any 'interfering' to be done, it's solely so Nathan can handle what's coming...

Ventus looked somewhat befuddled by them re-telling their home region's legends to them, until he realized that it was spurred on by his admitidly strangely impartial viewpoint of that matter, causing him to let out a small sigh as he prepared to explain why he feels/thinks that way....

"I'm aware of the Legend, Nathan, but I unlike most others I don't condemn humanity so casually in the tale, nor do I automatically side with the Swords despite sympathizing with their past plight and choice to forshake my people for so long. Instead, I hold a more neutral view of everyone and the decisions they made, framed by what we know now and in context of what happened then."

"First, I assume my ancestors had their reason in engaging in war with one another, regardless whether its justified or not by today's standards, and while the razing of the great forest was indeed an tragedy, in no way did the tale say they did so purposely or with malicious intent. It was just grave and unfortunate mistake on my people's ancestor's part, rather an amoral and egregious atrocity that so many readily portray it as. Humanity can often be destructive and needlessly cruel in all manners of things, but they are not universely like so, and I would like to believe that my ancestor did not heartlessly nor cruelly nor wickedly raze a forest to the ground, but rather as you said: carelessly.  We are flawed and imperfect race as a whole, but it is rare that anyone of us are monsterous enough to do something like THAT intentionally....."

"Second, while the Swords acted admirably and with great virtue and heroism in the legend rescuing all the Pokémon from the inferno, for their can be hardly be any doubt about that, their contempt and disdain for humanity due to said accident was too severe. Yes, my people carelessly burned the forest to the ground due to their war, but it was an accident born out of a conflict they took no measures to understand its cause, nor indeed even find out why it (the fire and war itself) happened in the first place. Additionally, they choose to unilaterally condemn all of humanity and my people for what took place that day, rather than blame and/or punish only those directly responsible for that tragedy , or even let us try to make amends for the 'crime' they precieved we committed. They choose the easy route of racisim and prejudice - for that is what their contempt for humanity had evolved into at that people - and left us to mire in our own misery and self blame for the events that day. I don't fault them for doing so, however, for they acted well within their reason. Its just my opinion they could have done better to understand us better and accept we are imperfect, rather than blame us and forever leave us to our own mistakes. Legendary, Mythical Being, or not, Pokémon are not flawless paragons or perfect beings, and that includes even Reshirim and Silverfish. They can mess up or be unreasonable and opinionated like us, and we should not forget this or let their power and prestige blind us to this fact......."

"Truthfully, I was and still am delighted by the reports the Swords were making their first tentative steps back into human contact, but I also distinctly remember they could have done such things long ago , if they only tried to see us more than irredeemable fools during those periods of time. Keldo's final fate is also a mystery to me, but I like to assume that its doing well for itself thanks to the care of the Swords."

"I believe their more truth than fiction in the tale too, but at the same time I wonder something differently about Legends and the like: beyond the vast and unimaginable powers they wield, are they really so different from us at their core? With the ways their act and carry on, the way they watch over us, dictating what they do or do not care for, and intervening when they see fit to, regardless of whether its warrant or not in any case....?"

".......*Shrugs* I suppose that is a topic for another time. I rather not this become the focus of tonight's conversation when we have another one to conduct, so let us table this for now and cease discussing it, Nathan."

(IOW: This topic should be curtailed in favor of dealing with the OTHER big topic. It is interesting to note that Ven shares similar views concerning Legends as Ghetsis does, though he hold them in far greater respect/fear/worship than they ever did....)

*In Nathan's Room!*

The empath gave a respectful nod of his head in response, before stuck the stick in his own mouth and lite it up, soon sending whaffs of lavender scented smoke drifting through the air around him. While Nathan declined the offer of a smoke (Which wasn't a bad thing at all in his opinion), that didn't mean he wouldn't avail himself of the comforts it would provide. If the scent help bring about a calmer atmosphere in the room, all the better. He also flicked his wrist to summon his beloved archangel, and with some quiet non-verbal instructions/feeling exchange they let out a affirmative chirp and hopped on to bed, electing to lay behind their father and the small boy for the time being.

If they were needed or felt the need, they would begin to exude a calming, pacifying aura to help settle things down, and readily provide comforting hug or concerned nudges when needed. They didn't like conflict even more than either human did, so they would do their part to prevent it as much as possible! That, and almost any opportunity to spent with their father was a moment to be treasured indeed. ......Even the less than positive ones, for they learn a great deal about each other in those trying, adverse times.....

For awhile Ventus sat their thinking about how to best begin to approach the dire topics of Cipher and the tragic abominations that were Shadow Pokémon they created. Even by normal standards that information was extraordinarily and extremely sensitive information that would provoke a negative reaction just about anyone, but it appears that to Nathan those topic are even more so for him, so he had to tread lightly least he provoke a repeat breakdown on their part. That, and he didn't exactly want to talk about such things until he knew the extent they knew  so they couldn't try to hide stuff from them, but if the 'no give and all take' approach last time works so splendidly , then he had to reveal something to prevent things from stalling......

Finally, with a heavy, smoky *Sigh*, the sociologist began the long dreaded anticipated re-discussion:

".........Well, I suppose its time I divulge what we spoke of last night, Nathan. Our conversation was obsitciably about sharing what lore we knew of various Legends or events, but in reality the main subject of discussion was not that. In fact, you could say we never really broached it at all, despite effort on both our parts and several allusion about it cropping up. ..........*Sighs* About Pokémon whose hearts have been forcibly locked away by diabolical men, turned into unfeeling killing machine only good for conflict and death. Shadow Pokémon and the group that made them Team Cipher. Neither one of us wanted to talk much about the topic until we heard what the other knew about it, so we effectively stoned wall each other. Since I didn't wish to spend the night possibly talking in circle around the issue or trigger any arguments, I opted to end the conversation and went to bed, content with letting matters end their. You, on the other hand, did not take it so well, if your memory loss is any indication."

"......Care to explain why you feel so strongly about.......this that such a reaction could occur?"