[Game] Lord Windos' PokeRole Adventure: Celadon City Vandel

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

"...someone very dear to me, who I promised to never speak about...but...I think I can make an exception in this dream, where nobody but higher powers could possibly hear us..."

...

"...7 years ago, while Horsea and I were training in the rain, we made an unexpected friend.  A girl who was very good at avoiding unwanted attention and had a purple Horsea and a yellow bird pokemon of some kind...she was very...happy, carefree...it was a little infectious, I guess you could say, and both us and our pokemon became friends rather quickly (and Yuuka definitely knows how few friends Reiner had).  Training with her never felt like a chore like it did with Clair.  I got the feeling that...ya know, maybe I could actually help her...that she could help me, too...couple months later, and both of our Horsea had evolved into Seadra.  Three years later, and they both shed Dragon Scales...she wanted to evolve our Seadra together at the soonest opportunity, and I insisted that we wait for the right time..."

"...she conceded, and let me hold on to both Dragon Scales so she could avoid the temptation...one purple and sparkly, one as blue as the ocean...and then the Elders took them both..."

...

"...one thing lead to another, and she convinced me that we needed to at least get her Seadra's Dragon Scale back...I felt rather terrible, letting her down like that..."

...

"...we got them back, but we got caught in the act by Grandfather's Dragonite.  She negotiated something with the dragon...and it turned out to be trading that yellow bird of hers for the Scales, Sneasel's well being and...'relative' freedom for us both...she insisted that we evolve our Seadra right then and there.  Insisted that it would all work out fine...I could tell she was scared she might lose that Dragon Scale again..."

...

"...she had a good handle on her Kingdra, but mine...well, she's...very angry that the Elders took that little yellow bird away from our friend.  That's why she..."

...

"...after I was officially exiled, she saw us off in the Ice Path.  But she promised she'd find us later and...well...she didn't leave before...*ahem*..."  Reiner's blushing a little at this point.

"...a-anyways...I...never really learned much about that girl...most I managed to get out of her was her first name and her pokemon's nicknames.  I didn't really think to question her past until...well, she was almost a different person while we were in the Dragon Shrine...very serious...scared...incredibly determined..."

...

"...not that I could ask her anything about her apparent history with the Elders now. No idea where she even went, let alone if she's still free or even alive...sometimes, she's a little too good at disappearing without a trace..."

...

"...Elders seem to be pretending she doesn't exist, too.  Not once did I hear them mention a bird pokemon or a Purple Dragon Scale when they listed the charges.  Would have thought they would have at least questioned me about those, but no...something feels...off about that..."

...

"...I suppose that's the...short version..."

(Reiner would frequently leave for 'solo' training sessions to supplement the training he and Clair were going/had gone through after he met Taylor, and those 3 years with Taylor were certainly some of his happiest, so all of this should line up with what Yuuka knows of Reiner's daily life in Blackthorn.)

Your kaa-san's expression shifted several times in rapids succession as you unveiled you 'sordid' relationship, with not one of them being what you called negative or disasterous. 

First, surprise, as her mouth went in a 'Oh...' shape as both her eyebrows hiked up straight to her hair line. 

Then, an intense curiosity, as her brows drew together and crinkled in thought. 

Another look of surprise followed afterwards, this one more mild but at the same time....knowledgeable, for lack of a better word. 

Next, a look of sad sympathy graced her features as you described the plight of both Taylor and the promise that left you trapped in Mahogany Town, waiting for one who never returned.

Finally, as you wrapped up your tale and trailed off uncomfortably, no doubt still directly avoiding you kaa-san's gaze, a reminiscence filled her experssion, ripe with memories of the past and....something else, as she stared at you now, hands having folded together and propping up her chin at some point as she drank in the story you wove.

She remained silent afterwards, staring at as she contemplated your words and just how to respond to them...

What initial response she settled on, however, was the very last thing you'd expect: she started laughing. 

Its started as minor chuckling, but it soon escalated into the full blown loud, noble laughs you kaa-san let out when she was supremely amused with something, with her whipping away a few stray tears she said while she did so.

After about a full minute of her doing this, she slowly but surely calmed down, her laughter winding down as she shook her head to dispel the last of her unexpected mirth, staring at you with a motherly smile and warmth that was both gratifying and slightly unnerving to see at the same time, all the more so given the heaviness of the topics they've discussed thus far.

"Ha ha ha....So the root of all this is was childhood  crush, one that had not quite blossomed into youthful love. I knew there was always something more to those 'solo' training sessions you've always went on, with how eager and happy you were afterward compared to the ones Clair put you through. I thought you might have been goofing off and getting in trouble with Sneasil, or prolling the streets in search of beauties that caught your eye - oh don't look at me like that, you were at that age! -, but the truth of the matter...matters, rather, has finally been revealed at long last.

Pausing to let out a few more chuckles, she then continued without hardly missing a beat or her suddenly renewed good mood fading one bit.

"It seems you managed to inherent all of your father's charm, and put it to use a much earlier than him! I wonder if he would be proud of you, or jealous you usurped his title as the family's 'Dragon Charmer.' And you said you had no time for love in Exile~! Ha ha ha!"

...

"*Ha ha…I believe I can understand now why you've acted in such a....inspired and focused way all those years ago, and while I still find your choices HIGHLY wanting - you and I are going to have a long, thoughtful discussion on your actions when we reunite in reality, my son - I don't think I can begrudge nor fault you nearly as much before. After all, me and your father did several foolish and shortsighted things in the throws of our passionate youth, and I'd be a poor mother and hypocrite if I held your own against you. Tease you silly and reprimand you, perhaps, like my own parents, but that is all."

Kaa-san then refolded her hands under her chin, and stared at you in now comfortable, much more tolerable silence.

"....Hmm......is the girl that stole your heart named.....Taylor, by any chance, my little dragon?"

...and then she dropped that question like it was the most casual thing in the world, her amusement unbroken.

What.