[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

These words hit Shiva hard as they seem to go the direct way into her sensitive heart, inflicting more pain to it. At what point has this cave trip taken such an emotional turn?? In fact, she's having a harder and harder time to not weep in sheer anguish.

".... I do ", she responds in a very quiet voice, but it somehow still echoes loudly in the cave. "You told me, I've always been there to listen. To provide comfort when needed, to just lend an ear and encouraging words... Yet you haven't ever asked how important family is to ME. I shrugged it off, proceeded to act as the bastion of calm. I've been okay. Friends...."

She can't help but to let out a toneless and weak chuckle at that, depleted of any joy.

"I've seen you a friend. Maybe we'd even become good ones if you wouldn't have hurt me by stressing out Ventus so much and.... a... you know the other reasons maybe, I don't quite get WHY things have gone that way if I've been a friend for you. I... I wished to return these sentiments, but it became harder and harder for me, you see....? But it all...."

".... it all does NOT excuse how I've closed myself off towards you, bit by bit. I'm so... so sorry for that, when you don't deserve that..." Self-loathing is a painful thing, and Shiva has actually hoped to not experience it again for quite a while, but she has been so blatantly wrong. It hurts so much - and she can't really do anything to ease it.


Except....

...She looks up to the boy then, maybe suprisingly in this situation; but she's smiling very weakly. Faint streaks of bitter tears stain the honesty in her expression. "Ancestor Cave is fine place to do a new beginning, to take a fresh start, to reset and try to rebuild things from a new base, now is it....? Hand me that Ditto, and I'll... I'll, well..." --- The voice in her mind encourages her in mild words, assures that what she thinks is the right thing to do here IS the right thing - hopefully it's speaking truth to her ---"...I'll do my best to oversee these issues of the past we've had, to do whatever I can to ban them into the darkest corners of my memory, where they'll rot until they may be forgotten if time does indead heal all wounds.... I don't know, ah, whether THIS is what you want, but that's all I can offer to you: Friendship. Peace. Forgiving if all goes well, trust... If you'd only let me have........"

"Umbreon, have you listened to me...? Now, maybe if you believe my words then you know that he can be trusted, and maybe, NO - probably If I'm having you, your young and Ditto by my side, I will as well...."

...

...Nathan doesn't initially respond to Shiva.

Instead, he gestures for Grid to stand back and kneels in front of Umbreon.

"...I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, Umbreon.  My own father disappeared a few years ago, so...I understand the pain and fear and confusion...and I apologize for putting you through it unintentionally...and I can assure you that I definitely don't have any reason to keep Ditto, so I promise you I won't be keeping them.  As you can see, though...Shiva has her heart set on befriending you and your family if she can, and making you a part of hers.  All of you, I can guarantee it, and she takes very good care of her pokemon.  So the only question I have for you is: is that okay with you?  I can't speak for Shiva, but I'll respect whatever you decide on.  Promise."

He'll ask Umbreon for Shiva one more time.  He then stands, hands the Ultra Ball containing Ditto to Shiva, and backs off to lend credence to his words about not keeping Ditto for himself.

He put in some good words for Shiva and apologized for his blunder.  It's out of his hands now.  He wants to trust Shiva in this situation, but will Umbreon do the same?