[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Terra's eyes snapped open as he twisted his head to stare at Gallade.

Long, hard, unflitching, and piercingly critical.

The man's expression.....it was indescribable. Given the state of his head, so to were his emotions.

…To be honest, he didn't really know what to think....to feel about what they and their master did.

On one hand, it was thanks to them that he's alive and relatively unharmed right now, bravely and selflessly putting themselves in danger to Teleport him to safety and patch him up. Nobody - well, no human - have ever done that before. It spoke greatly of how much the boy cared for him, for it was at the very least enough to put life and limb on the line to save his own. 

It was......shocking for the rugged wanderer, to put it mildly.

...However, that didn't change the immutable truth of the matter, and it was thus: In order for Nathan to have rescued him, they had put there and there own Pokémon's neck on the chopping block, ignoring his command for them to run and instead placing them in mortal peril. Unlike most other people, he was fully and utter prepared to die in order to do his all to safeguard the group. As a part of a duty, and because they were his friends. All of them KNEW that, and should have accepted that and got the heck out of danger while he sacrificed himself for their sake....

...But Nathan didn't. If things had turned out just a little bit differently....they could have been hurt. Or Killed. Or worse.  Along with his own partners. All because they recklessly put themselves in harm's way for him.

...

In the end, Terra didn't have anything to say to Gallade, and elected to limp to the Nurse for her to fully treat his injuries and ignore them for the time being. Notably, however, he didn't refuse their aid or push them away.

As for the Nurse's matter of fact response to him...

".....Yes. *Slowly shakes head* …Not messing with Unown ever again. Too....dangerous.'

Understatement of the century, right there.

*Transition: Moment Nathan Checks In on Terra*

The clever trainer would find the monk sitting at a table in the lobby, nursing a tall glass of some fruit juice while rubbing his temples.

Of course, both those actions were stopped the moment they made themselves aware to him.

Music: Howling Winds (Undertale)

Immediately, he turned to face them, standing up and looming over the boy as he expressionlessly and stared at them. Despite how.....ragged Terra appeared (physically and mentally), he struck an downright menacing figure, seemingly MORE Intimidating than ever before! Eep! Raising Terra's Intimidate to 3 for 12 XP (Leaving him with 1 left)!

This persisted for a few uncomfortable minutes....

….Until it was broken when Terra smartly chopped Nathan over the head. Not hard enough for it to count as a Strike, but with more than enough force for it to sting. If they dodged out of the way, they'd find themselves conked a second time/regardless by the monk's other hand meeting their skull. There was no avoiding it (Please).

".....Dumb. Very, very dumb."

His voice was firm, and his tone just as unyielding.

"....Was trying to save you. You....and the rest of the group. By doing my duty.....and for everyone. ….But you put yourself....put Gallade…..all your Pokémon in danger. That.....was very, very dumb thing to do."

He pauses, then shakes his head.

"....Ven said you could be.....reckless. Not listen to others...do what you want. ...Did not say you would act like that. Said you were smart and clever. Cared for all Pokémon greatly. Not dumb, stupid, and....insensitive. Like me. "

…The matter of fact way he put himself down to admonish Nathan was.....saddening, in a way, but all the more impactful for it. A few quiet seconds passed, before Terra crossed his arms and pinned the boy with a demanding glare.

"....Why? Why did you do such a.....dumb thing? Tell me why now."

For the record, Gallade doesn't really react to much of what Terra says or is thinking.  His one job right now is to help Terra, recover so that's what he's doing.

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

Nathan is unfazed by Terra's gaze. Why?

Because he has a comeback.  (He really could have done without getting smacked, though.  He's quite the frail little thing, after all...)

"...I could ask the same of you, Terra.  Few would just throw themselves at a massively powerful pokemon to save a bunch of people they only just met.  You're very, very lucky Gallade was there."

Nathan takes a seat and faces Terra.  (And is also trying to ignore the pain from getting smacked...ow...)

"...we work together as a team.  And if I can contribute to it by making sure everyone gets out alive, then by golly, I'm gonna do my part.  I'd rather not see anyone throw their life away to save everyone else's if it can be helped.  It's a precious thing, life..."

...

"...I do appreciate that you were willing to put yourself on the line to save us, Terra...but did you even consider if we had ways to get you out of there safely?  That's what I want to ask you.  What kind of a group are we if we don't work together?"

Gallade just lets Nathan talk and quietly meditates off to the side for now.