[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

You come to a vast palace of stone that has been chewed and regurgitated into new forms, much like the paper nests of a Beedrill. Spires rise in nearly shapeless forms, guarding the vast hollow spanned by stone bridges and infinite strands of steely silk.
The underground palace resembles a drip castle on the beach.



Within the dark hole, lit only by Firoke patrolling the surface, is a monstrosity of a Pokemon. Swollen, baglike, and slow, a massive insect rages in the dim light. She is covered in tufts of red, blue, and yellow fur, and she has gossamer Yanma wings - clearly incapable of lifting that nauseating body. Each wing is tipped with the color of a Legendary Bird, and many elements swirl in her wake. She has too many eyes and perceptive tufted antennae. An immense aura of power radiates from her. Only those she invites into her lair may come forward into her presence. Most never leave, for if she merely wishes to issue orders, she may do so without leaving her nest. So many of her visitors, the mates and the strangers and the specially bred Pokemon, end up as her food.

She is the source of the scent compelling you onward.

Slung on sticky webs, within the clawed clutches of the Bug Queen, are the missing Pokemon. Nathan sees Ralts and experiences a surge of emotion, but it's only the tiny portions capable of reaching through the cracks in the pheromone-laden fuzz infecting every mind within a dozen miles. Mr. Finder, whose sensitive nose is now swollen and red and cracked with oozing sores, is all set to walk right into the belly of the beast. Ventus' empathy is tightly closed, lest he rush right forward. The pheromones still affect him anyway. Heart, for once, is speechless. Unable to open his mouth, he flares his nostrils and inhales...and obeys the command to come pay tribute.

Desperately, Ditto's current form lets out a little howl, which only you six can hear over the rustling of chitin and the clacking of pincers. Strength flows back into you, enough to turn away from the horrendous sight and to grab Mr. Finder if you want. Herolune is pinching his nose shut.

You regain control of your characters. You recognize you are in the presence of a secret legend hidden in the bowels of Mt. Sentry.

The Queen's Lair: In the Future - Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky

Nathan has no idea what this pokemon is at first.  He's heard stories of a queen insect in Tandor, but everything was always too vague for him to ever learn anything concrete.  Heart calling her Seikamater is the first time he's ever heard that word.

He only knew two things about this Legendary bug before Heart explained what she is:

- that she's supposedly the queen of all insects in the Tandor region, which all have strange affinities with the various elements that few other bugs have, something that he has found no reasonable explanation for since all those other bugs are either extremely weak and/or spread across multiple regions instead of all gathered in a single one
- and everyone is deathly afraid of her.

One does not simply defy the queen.

That is all he knew about this giant bug before Heart put the final puzzle pieces in place.

Looking at her now, seeing this:

Spoiler

He's afraid.  He understands why she's so feared.  And he has no words for it.

...if she means to harm Ralts, though...or any of the other pokemon...he will not let her.

If Ralts is in danger, Nathan will even fight a Legendary pokemon if it comes to that.

He hopes it doesn't...but if it does, he hopes Ditto will do its best to protect them and get them all out safely...

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

The last time he was in a Queen's Lair, it was Vespiquen's.  Negotiations were tight.  But possible.  She was a queen who had earned the respect she'd garnered.  Maybe partially through fear and deception, as she had seemingly enlisted the aid of a Drowzee in her endeavors...but she was fair, if controlling and maybe a little self-centered.  Her kingdom was her first priority.  Not herself, not her subjects.  Her kingdom.

...Nathan does not feel the same respect for this queen that he's standing before.  One who would kidnap those passing on by, who seemingly forms a hive not for the purpose of creating a kingdom, but for serving her needs.

He does not bow to this royal bug right away as he did with Vespiquen oh so long ago.  He will not.  She has not earned his respect.  His fear and caution?  Yes, easily.  But not his respect.

He just stares at Ralts.  Solomon.  Zippy.  All the other pokemon.  Looks at the queen bug.

And stares.

No matter what else he feels, no matter what else happens, his one thought is to get Ralts and their other pokemon, and get.  Out.

He will not bow unless this queen proves reasonable enough to negotiate and let them leave with their pokemon.