[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Celebi glows a little hot with rage. The Gauntlet trembles a bit in response.

"I would never appear to those who would commit such violations! And one day, perhaps, when the time is right, we shall confront them."

"Yes, Mesprit, could help them. As can I. As can I. Bring Solosis forward."

Celebi gestures and rises into the air. Its wings shimmer, the antennae twitch, and the Pokemon spins around. A little sprinkling of dust falls over Solosis, who is still unconscious. A troubled expression suddenly appears on its face, then relaxes into that of someone experiencing a happy dream.

"When Solosis wakes, most of its memories will return, aside from the horrible experiences that shattered the Pokemon's consciousness. So, too, its free will, just as you three humans have been blessed with superhuman will."

"If the Scimitars gain access to the Gauntlet, their ability to sow pain will be increased, for the Gauntlet gives power according to the stature of the pilgrim. They may even succeed in removing it from this place, if they come adequately prepared, and wielding it as a weapon. Please...do all you can to stop them, for me and my kind have not yet completed our observations. We cannot yet act."

"I can think of no way in which I can help the others of Solosis' kind, unless they are here with you now. The Relic Stone in normal spacetime is something of a one-way trip. The only ways to leave this realm are by failing the challenges of the Guardians, or through the Atheneum's power. The Librarian will know all about that. And soon, the Relic Stone will shift with the violent whims of Mt. Sentry, and you may not be able to find it again."

"One gift more I offer you, Solosis..." This last part is quiet, whispered toward Solosis' mind, barely audible to Nathan alone. "A device in the Atheneum, built by one from your time, is able to strip away the enslaving power of the Apricorn. Ask the Slowking with the Delta-Shellder crown for help with this device."

"...there were...others that we encountered on the way in...though five powerful Reuniclus was...a few too many...and there were more behind us...and around us in the various tunnels near the Relic Stone's current location...two of the five we battled were killed...one was...injured...I don't know if the other two will survive being KOed this deep underground with no direct aid from humans...I don't even know if the Scimitars would care enough to try salvaging a KOed or dying pokemon they were only using as a tool..."

...it's not a happy thought, being unable to save those 5...mostly because there's no chance at all to save 2 or 3 of them...all because a certain two someones wrote them off as dead and unsaveable...perhaps killing them was a better alternative to leaving them to potentially be continually used as tools for the unforseen future...but the idea still doesn't sit quite right with Nathan for various reasons...

...moving on, though...

"...it's good to hear that Mesprit can help too...I don't know how many of these pokemon have been...turned.  We'll definitely need the aid of your or Mesprits' power again in the future...thank you for lending your aid to Solosis.  I'll help Solosis as best as I can from here.  And yes, eventually...the ones who did this to these poor pokemon will have to face the consequences of their actions...oh, and if there's any way we could call on you again to help these pokemon, that knowledge would be much appreciated."

...

"...do you have any suggestions for how we might go about stopping the Scimitars from finding this place?  We know they're using these Solosis and Reuniclus as scouts of sorts, searching the tunnels before they venture down there themselves.  Mr. Finder clocked around a dozen Scimitars in a small area near the surface when we first encountered this Solosis.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure how quickly they can turn these pokemon, or how expensive such ventures might be for them...the best we might be able to do is delay them for now...but maybe that'll be enough?  Do you know how long we have until the Relic Stone moves to a different location?  It took us around...a week to get down to where it was, I think?  If we have to stop a group of them halfway, I think we can probably do that...but if the stone moves before they get there, then we might not have to for the time being..."