[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Original Post

(...)

The same couldn't be said for one particuluar person however – the simple look of Ventus struggling heavily to keep himself together was enough to SCARE Shiva to the core and initiate a shiver of immense worry through her whole body as she was almost paralyzed in the spot from simply looking over to him. Still, he had a Klefki by his side, so he succeeded.... But what was it then that caused him to be so... It wasn't hard to guess that he wasn't really enjoying/was fearful about this courtyard of the Secret Library and all the arcane and illogical things in here (much contrary to her), but this couldn't be the cause... Can it?

In the split of a second it seems she was right by his side, kneeing on the hard stone floor and a tad bit insecure of how to approach him best, as she has barely, if never, seen him THAT troubled and exhausted. From the look of it he didn't seem to be injured though, so after having touched his shoulder lightly she placed her arm around his back. He expression she met him with was dripping with concern and underlined with fear. „Ven...“, spoke up, „What's wrong, and what has happened that exhausted you so much? Given that Klefki with you you made it, but...to what prize? Please, dear, tell me. It'll be fine, just don't succumb... Can you get up? Come, give me your hand... Ah, Lilith, can you aid me as well, please? Take his arm and help me getting him back onto his feet....“

(...)

Ventus grunted as he noticed his girlfriend blink over to him and kneel by his side while he struggled getting to his feet, twisting his head over to offer her a wane, tired, smile as she asked of his current 'plight' "I'm.......fine..........just........a.......tad.......bit.........knackered..........from..........my.............Trail. I...........just........fought.........my.........Darmanitan........instead........of.........answering..........its....riddles...............and......it........was..........a............complete......brute.......that....required.........more.......effort.......to......subdue......than.....I........though. Please.......don't.........worry........too........much...........my......dear..."

His kindly understatement lost impact given how weary he sounded and the large amount of effort it was taking in forcing himself into working order, but Shiva's compassion and help greatly helped bolster his flagging spirits, enough that he didn't feel like he was going to pass out at any given moment. Ah, how young love strengths......

When she and Lilith offered to help him up, a small part of him wanted to refuse out of sheer principle and another because he didn't want to seem weak to her, but the vast majority of the empath's being ignored those aspects as he smile gratefully and let them stand him out and support him until he could do so under his own power. "......Thank...you...Shiva....Lilith. I...think....I.....will....be....fine....now, and...I....could....have.....recovered...to.....that....point...on...my....own, but your....aid....expedited...that.....process.....magnificently. Again....Thank....you...."

The researcher muttered this out between panting for breath as he slowly re-stabilized himself, offering the fortune teller and his fae fancy a radiant smile that was dimmed by his tiredness, but somehow no less spectacular for it. It was times like these with his girlfriend he could just forget how much of a mess his life has become, though such dour thoughts always lingered in the back of his mind to pop back in unannounced....

Oh. He fought it.... Fought it.... Wait, FOUGHT a GUARDIAN of Atheneum?! And he said it so casually, 'just fought it! Oh boy...

Instantly, this earned him a frightened gasp from his so-called fae fancy following with her throwing her other arm around his chest to tightly hug his side, her cheek practically pressed against his shoulder, using Nuzzle against the green tweed. "Oh, Ven....." she said in an almost fearful tone of voice, "...You've indeed got into a battle against a Zen mode-Darmanitan, even being a direct Guardian of Atheneum? No wonder you're so......exhausted, thought you'd know of how powerful and dangerous they can be as they're also guarding the remains of Relic Castle in the desert of our homeregion... Brutal force is their style, but unleashing mighty psychic power when triggered. Oh, Ven.... Still you made it as you've got a Klefki... Well done. Humm...~"

Shiva refused to let go of him at first as he asked her to not worry for him too much, how could she NOT worry for him when he was doing so bad and just had a stressful battle?, but she very slowly did so as it became clear that he won't break down anymore the moment she and Lilith aren't supporting him anymore. She placed a hand softly on his shoulder again in the means of comfort, gifting him a soft smile for his thanks. "Calm down. It's fine. You've made it, after all... Smoke some lavender incense as you sometimes do to gather yourself again, if it helps you. Leave the last riddle to me..." A last part, and she boldly approached the last statue as already happenend.

(...) The currently insane acting mystical lass glance on him would only give her the sight of a VERY frightened, wary, and threatened Ventus, Apsis Pokeball gripped tightly in one hand and the big piece of twisted rebar in the other. Their was no acceptance or kindness in the man's eye, but instead great trepidation and a harsh, unforgiving willing to defend himself against her no matter the cost. It was like he was staring at a complete stranger, and a most unwelcome one at that.

That trepidation in her love's returned glance...
That will to defend himself...
That absent warmth and love in his gaze...

...it HIT her much. It grounded her to some degree: Enough to cause her to question what has actually happened. She hasn't gone mad, she was just...following The Gauntlet's call... Formerly she was already interested in it, and now it ASKED her to be touched. What could... be WRONG about that, she wondered? 

She wanted to become heartened.
'To knowledge!'

"Uh Shiva? Are you okay my friend? Should I be worry now or later?"

She looked fine. Nothing of her mental urge to follow the Gauntlet's call and to touch it to become 'heartened' showed on her outside, everything was...fine. "I'm okay, Heart!" She told him with a sly smile. "Did you too hear and felt this gauntlet here calling? ....I did... And I followed... It asked to place a hand onto it. Weird, huh....? I'd like to oblige it however... And you?"