[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

Spoiler

"...huh.  Wide Guard and Head Smash...and Heavy Slam and Sandstorm...this Bastiodon is really, really experienced...I don't think they can normally learn Head Smash, and Wide Guard and Sandstorm are both rather rare moves as well if I recall correctly...you're not wrong about them being both valuable and a great fighter.  Ditto's Wide Guard while it's been in its Herolune form...that's the pokemon it was Transformed into while we were in Sarimanok's time, in case you were wondering...has minimized any damage taken plenty of times, and attacking moves that strong mean it can play aggressively, too...personally, I'd hang on to them because they might be useful, but that's just me.  And when I tugged on their threads, I noticed Bastiodon and Shieldon were connected to you, Terra.  Not sure exactly why, but they were.  If you keep it, Bastiodon will probably get along well with you, I imagine.  And I can also personally attest that facing Rock types in a Sandstorm is incredibly difficult without exploiting their weaknesses after both facing and abusing that strategy myself.  Up to you to decide what to do with 'em in the end, of course.  I just want to make sure it finds a good home."  (For reference, that means Nathan won't mind if you trade Shieldon, @Spiritmon.  Nathan has faith he won't regret his own decisions, and that there's some kind of nice trainer out there who'll appreciate having Shieldon as a friend.)

Straightforward question, straightforward answer!  (EDIT: BTW, there's also opportunity for Terra to ask a rather astute question concerning Jungore's thread if you think it'd be something Terra would do, Windos.)

Welp, probably should have expected Terra to react like that to Jungore.  Ah well.

Jungore just looks quizzically at Terra.  To him, this is normal.  And not a big deal at all.  He doesn't yet understand how...significant having gold embedded in his body is.  Humans are most definitely a new thing for him, though he doesn't seem to mind the situation so much since Nathan was so nice to him.

Nathan sighs a little.  "...yes, Terra, it is.  This is Jungore, a species that was hunted to extinction for that very reason from what I know of it.  It's another kind of Fossil pokemon, but it's quite possibly the rarest Fossil pokemon of them all.  Sarimanok once imported a Gold Fossil from Tandor and revived it just to show off how fabulously wealthy he was.  There have been exactly 0 reported instances of finding Gold Fossils in Creshire as far as the history books are concerned, if you can believe that.  I know I can..."  I'm sure Terra can put two and two together about the whole black market thing, given his mercantile background.

Nathan frowns thoughtfully, then shakes his head and tries to get things back on topic.

"...anyways...you were about to say something before you saw Jungore, yes?"

*Flashback(s)/Flashforward(s)!*

Terra carefully listened to Nathan's own assessment on Bastiodon and what to do with the dino, arms crossed and him leaning in with keen attentiveness. When they finished, he spent about a half minute mulling the whole matter over with eyes closed and plenty of beard stroking, until finally he looked back to the boy and gave a definitive nod.

"Hm......okay. I will keep Bastiodon. A Pokemon very strong in Fighting AND Defending too good to sell, and can think of other ways to use his Strengths. You are right too, I think. Do feel connection, and now.....now I want to be great friends and partners with him. *Smiles* Thank you for helping me, Nathan."

Immediately afterwards a dull look of realization popped up onto the sagely monk's face, before he gave the clever trainer a mildly curious tilt of his head.

"You said you saw.....the threads tieing me, Bastiodon, and.....Shieldon together, yes? What about....Jungore? Who was he tied too?"

By this point, he's still staring at the resplendent reptile with naked wonder, with his hands twitching by his side, as if they wanted to reach out and inspect it themselves to see if they were truly partially made out of gold. He was snapped out of it by Nathan's exasperated? sigh, however, and their subsequent explanation proved to be both enlightening and distressing.

"......Ah. ......That is.....not good. Not good at all. Pokemon.....they shouldn't be treated like that. Ever. They are.....like us, and other Pokemon. All have.....equal right to live happy and how they want to, and nobody should take that away so.....so easily. Greedily. Harmfully. *Shakes head* It is....shameful, and.....not right. ..........Sorry. Should not have made.....big deal of Jungore. That was......very rude of me."

The Steely brawler looked much less enthused now with himself, a frown tugging at his lips as he glanced downwards at his feet. Well, now he feels like a total bastard for his mercantile reaction....

(...)

"Oh.....yes, I was. Hm....not now. Want to.....share it with everyone, some place......quit and safe. Don't want to.....leave them out, or....cause problems with story."

Cue Gallade going off to fetch everyone, the group goes somewhere private, and then Terra, after collecting himself and taking a deep, steadying breath, began his tale. For expediency's shake and the fact my mood for story telling isn't all that high right now, he pretty much gives his own recount of this post , including his own observations into the Deoxys' communication network, their odd, alien, yet VERY deliberate intelligence, curiosity, and sense of Purpose they/it shared/had, the basic points, and anything else he can think of now (Since he as 2 Insight, any other details he might understand/realize now?). Up until now he's been recounting everything with a calm, ponderous tone, but when it comes time to talk about the......exchange he had with the supervirus alien, his expression suddenly shifted into one of marked discomfort, the mountain of a man's previously stoic expression now scrunched up like he bit into an extremely sour berry.

".........Last, Deoxys.....it.......it did something to me. Took.......bit of Knowledge from head, and.......gave a......hrrn. Don't know what it is, but every time I think about it......hrrn.......makes me feel weird. Not bad.....but not good either. Try not to think about it, ignore it.....but I know it is there.."

If the very though of.....whatever Deoxys gave Terra unnerved and discomforted him to this extent, let alone its mere mention......yikes, that some serious juju right there. 

".....Do you understand, my friends? All that I said, and......about Deoxys? *Shakes head*....Don't think it was a bad Pokemon, but......only that it had own goals it put.....above all else. What do you think?"

He ends his story with a couple of simple questions, recrossing his arms and giving everyone plenty of time to think about the issue. Maybe together, they'd be able to find out more about the jello mold from outer space, or at least solidify what little they learnt of it.

 

Spoiler

"Hey Terra. Nathan. How the have going?" 

Heart then snap his fingers to show Nathan/@Dragonstrike and Terra/@Lord Windos his fire trick. "...but also increase the power of her fire skills." To show that Rose shoot some embers more stronger than normal. "I think the elemental affinity in humans the power of certain types of moves in Pokemons in their care. Its almost like she is using a Charcoal to summon her powers."

"Good. Feel better now. Caught Bastiodon, and have decided we will be partners for now on. You?"

The rare collector's and Rose's burst of flames provoked a rather odd reaction from Terra, as he momentarily flinched back and shied away from the conjured flame , as if by instinct, before he blinked and shook his head, regaining control of himself, curiosity and wonder now his predominant emotions. Hmm.....

"Wow....... Your Fire types will be super powerful now, and can make fire yourself. Very......cool."

Unlike Heart, Terra's more or less completely oblivious to the exact details of his new More Than Human 2X condition, other than he feels tougher, smarter, and more durable, due to those changes being subtle + him being in a trance/fugue state at the time all that happened, so he's more or less locked out of the loop unless either Nathan or they clue him in. Everyone would certainly notice the effects of *6 Vitality, at the very least!

*Flashback(s)/Flashforward(s) End!*

Spoiler

"Jungore?  To be honest, I didn't think about that much at the time...but now that I am, they were connected to...ummm...I think it was...Spira's Dusknoir...hmmm..."

Nathan thinks about what that means for a sec, and then realizes something.

"...oh!  So that's why there was a connection...interesting...veeeerrry interesting...I wonder if that means....hmmm...yes, it probably does..."  Heart's display is a momentary distraction, but he is interested to hear that Rose's Fire moves were more powerful than usual...

He nods after a little more thinking, then dumps his findings on Terra and Heart (@Spiritmon).  "I think Jirachi's Wish Tags might have made it more likely for pokemon with similar traits to show up.  Dusknoir was looking a little...burlier, so I guess he ended up grabbing a Fighting Wish Tag, and was thus loosely connected to any other pokemon that had grabbed the same kind of Wish Tag.  From what I can tell based on what you've described and your now literal steel knuckles, you grabbed a Steel Wish Tag, Terra.  That'd explain the connections to the Steel fossil pokemon.  No Fairy or Fire type Fossil pokemon as far as we know, though.  In any case, it's good to see what some of theeffects the Wish Tags had are sooner rather than later.  Just...try not to draw attention to the more...unusual traits the two of you now have if you can avoid it, alright?  Humans haven't been granted this much power in a long, long time, so showing off those talents in the wrong time periods have a chance to create a paradox, I think.  At least, I haven't heard of any recorded instances of any humans with traits comparable to Fire and Steel types..."

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

At Terra's evaluation of Jungore's situation, Nathan nods solemnly.  His PTC dings at this point as well, indicating the trade from Bill has arrived.  He retrieves the nail and reads it...then puts it away.

"According to Bill, Jungore was officially recorded as having gone extinct around...1500 AD or so, around 400 years before the time we're currently in."  Nathan looks at Jungore.  "I'll have to keep ya balled once we head to some more public places, friend.  I'll make sure ya get some fresh air at the soonest opportunity, though, so don't worry about that, alright?"

Jungore still looks a little puzzled, I imagine.  But he probably doesn't have any major complaints either since he has 0 Disobedience.

Anyways, once that's taken care of...Nathan takes a deep breah...then lets it out.  "...it's okay, Terra.  Really.  Let's just try and make sure his species doesn't suffer the same fate again now that we have an opportunity, right?"

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

(@PhantomUnderYourDesk, @Mikaruge108, and @Windos and Spirit too, of course)

Nathan listens to the whole story about Deoxys veeerrrry carefully once Gallade returns with Shiva and Spira and everyone's gathered in a sufficiently private spot away from the more populated locations.

"...so you're saying that Deoxys was trying to learn about its surroundings?  That was a rather...aggressive way to do so if that's the case...though I suppose nothing was stopping it from doing as it pleases if nothing on this planet could harm it at the time..."

- Terra confirms/re-confirms Nathan's inquiry on what the jello alien was doing, and just shrugs somewhat haplessly at their further comments on their 'assertivenes' in conducting their explorations. To him, Deoxys' behavior was what it was, and so decided not to fret or ponder over it too much. Well, unless given sufficient reason, like being hounded by it again, or it popping up somewhere.....

Before Nathan ponders that further, Terra opens up about the...gift he received from Deoxys.

Gallade then taps on Nathan's shoulder, his thorough analysis complete.  Nathan turns to face Gallade.  "What'd ya find, buddy?"

Gallade proceeds to share the feelings he found with Nathan.  Nathan's expression is primarily...confused during the process.

Once the message has been delivered, Nathan turns back to everyone else.  "...so, Gallade definitely sensed...something in Terra.  I'm not really sure how to describe it other than it apparently felt...weird to Gallade.  Like nothing he and I have ever felt before.  Given we're dealing with an extraterrestrial pokemon...not surprising.  He also conveyed feelings of...protectivness and...tiredness?  Ummmm...I think that means he couldn't get much more than that...like it's...sleeping and protected...is that right, Gallade?"


Gallade nods.

"...hmmmm...I don't like this, to be honest...Deoxys might not necessarily be malicous, but...who kows if what it did is going to have any positive results?  I'm not sure if there's anything I can do about this right now...if anything changes, Terra, I'd like to know at the soonest opportunity, alright?"

*Flashbacks, in Point Form, since I REALLY don't have much free time as of late*

- Though Terra was made into an more enlightened cretin due to a good double dose of extraterrestrial contact, it  didn't mean he instantly understood what Nathan was alluding to with Jungore and Dusknoir's , which initially left him clearly confused as they trailed off. When they explained it and clued him in on his More Than Human Status / Physical Features, he was at first visibly astonished by the news , before doing a full inspection of his knuckles and body, and becoming rather stunned and impressed by what he saw. At that point, his recent increase of fortitude, intelligence, and hardiness all are perfectly sensible and understandable, causing him to feel more calm, not mystified, and at ease with himself than before. After a minute or two of digesting this and the rest of what Nathan said, the sagely monk offers simple but great thanks for clearing things up, and promises not to show off/cause a scene with his more metallic features. The last thing he wants is to cause trouble for group and TIME ITSELF, after all!

- Further news and information about Jungore's species' extinction served to depress Terra even further about his and his contemporaries greed clouding their good reason, judgment, and morality. However, Nathan's absolving him of his faux pass manages to lighten his mood a bit, and in response he solumly and seriously agree with their statement, saying : "Right. Will help you do whatever it takes, to make sure Jungore and its kin do not......suffer same fate. They deserve happy lives, not.......that."

- Gallade's / Nathan's analysis on the Gift he was given proved to be both a positive and negative thing, as while hearing all about it in greater detail brought back those feeling of unease again, it also answered/reconfirmed his own suspicious on it, making him feel somewhat relieved. Plus, more information on whatever happened to him and on The Gift was (for now) always a great thing in his opinion, as Knowledge was very much power in this instance, and he would take more of it no matter how much discomfort he has to endure in order to learn!

"Ah......I see......I think. It....very weird.....but not bad right now. *Smiles* Thank you for telling me more about.....it, Nathan. Hm....don't think it will be bad, though. Get feeling that it.....Deoxys.......not really harmful? Just.....curious and.....directed, in own way? Maybe......sympathetic? *Shakes head, then shrugs* Not sure.....but don't think it....meant me harm with.....contact. Then, at least.... *Nods to their request* I will, and quickly too. Don't want bad things to happen to me, or cause worry for you....Shiva....Heart.....Spira......everyone." 

*End of Flashback Part 1!*

Spoiler

++ Now, flashbacks to quick-wrap some things on a different front up ++
Original Post 1 and Original Post 2
For the sake of pace, I'll simply make this as notes.

(...)


- She's worried when it comes to Terra eventually sharing everthing concerning his...'meeting' with Deoxys. Very worried, so much that she's clinging to Cottonee's soft and charged-with-power fluff, impercibly shivers and looks around every now and then as if fearing that the Extraterrestial Pokemon would jump at her from the next corner, but the sensitive fae enthusiast is doing a fine job to completely conceal that from the others. With attention and a mild frown she listens, at least her fear that the arriving of the Supervirus didn't mark doomsday for the planet and world was a great relief, if her head would be more clear during these events she'd have noticed that this fear is unreasoned as SOMETHING must has dealt with this creature as otherwise she wouldn't even be here. What 'SOMETHING' was, she could only theorize. That secondary though, first was rejoice that the planet's saved from an invasion!~
- Easily she picks up the discomfort and unnerved state of Terra, which increases her worry until it developed in pure FEAR. If he as the stoic and tough mountain of a man gets so...distraught, it MUST be something serious or indescribable or at least worrisome. Rather calmly however, she reacts to this by carefully and slowly cuddling up to Terra's side, faintly even hugging his arm - both to soothe her own fear as well as to try calming down him or at least to show that things are okay. From the way she almsot clings to him here, maybe Terra even gets that she is simply relieved like nothing that he has made it to survive this and was still with them.



- Once being asked whether they understand, Shiva rather timidly nods, a bit of encouraging to voice her thoughts she speaks up in a soft tone: "I, well.... Yes, I saw these lights as well... They are, were, scary, weird, special, not from this world. Something very particular surrounds them, something that has the potential to change one. To, ehm, change one for good or bad, but f.... from they way I saw them they gave me the impression of being related to making a person more. More than what's normal, more that is believed to be possible, more that oneself would have thought is doable, more than a human is capable of." 





- She'll directly gaze into the monk's eyes for the next few words, a serious glance on her. "Terra... No, I don't think what Deoxys has... ehm, 'done' to you is something bad. It not necessarily is, despite I was so... so shocked to see you of all costs being hypnotized. Maybe try to see it as a gift, a blessing - a unique one even. Please, take good care of yourself now, and ping us in case you notice something about yourself that you'd directly connect to this happening, will you? It's okay. At least you're...back with us others again. *slights smile* Because, without you, who shall protect us all so well as you do?" She gives him another small hug, then quickly lets go - partly because this was awkward, partly because she caught up something weird and new within or about him that reminds her on cold steel and machinery which she doesn't like too much due to her affinity with fairies.

(...)

- Terra is mostly oblivious to Shiva's own worry/anxiety over his probing interview with Deoxys, as he's far from being sensitive and empathetic like her or Gallade. He does notice her raptness and frown, but considers those due to how seriously she was paying attention to his recounting/infodump, and so just shrugged it off/accepted it by that point.

- Her suddenly going forward to cuddle him while in his discomforted state caught him off guard in nearly a bad way, as he jolted and startled by the sudden contact and nearly shoved her off and onto the ground in pure reactionary surprise. Thankfully he managed to curtail that reaction, and uncharacteristically was able to quickly figure out the reason why for the cuddle hug due to context and her/others prior attempts at doing such to him in the past. For that moment, Terra lets her cling onto him and takes some comfort from her as she does from him, but its roughly 2/3 neutralized by his own awkwardness with the unexpected and compassionate physical contact. Not that he hates or disdains it, but because he's so unused to it and his own preference for more minimal symbols/gestures of friendship/comfort (Like hand on shoulder, pat on the back, or occasionally a shoulder/half hug). 

Of course, no one would now that, but by this point at least Shiva should be able to extrapolate this information based on prior evidence of her interactions with the mountain of the man.

- He mostly agrees with her commentary on the Lights besides them being scary (they were anything but to him!), but grows rather curious and interested as she described what they could do a person, nodding as she finished.

"Yes......I agree. Felt......More than before, after seeing pretty lights and taking......Steel Charm from Jirachi. Sturdier, smarter, and.....more like Steel. Closer to them......drawing Strength from type......and maybe give it to my parnters too? Not sure.....will need to test for myself. Hm...."

- Finally, he simply nods in agreement with her assessment on Deoxys' actions (for he shares the same opinion....for now), but he tilts his head in slight confusion over her worry about his hypnosis/fascination with the pretty lights, before mentally shrugging it off and slowly nodding again. He didn't quite share her concerns, as nothing ill came of it ultimately and he's now better prepared for such things in the future, but he had no problems agreeing with it and the rest of what she had to say afterwards. He DOES return her smile with a small but grateful one of his own when she expressed happiness at being with her/everyone else and support for his duty, briefly placing a hand on her shoulder while doing so.

".....Thank you. I'm very happy I'm your friend, and.....that you think of me as one too. Have always done best to protect the group, .....and I always will. Never....shall I fail everyone......nor you, Shiva. Thank you."

With that rare heartwarming remark, he lets her go to do whatever, and his part in this discussion he started is concluded!

*Flashback Part 2 End!*

Dragonstrike

(...)

*Flashback?*

To put it briefly, his reaction to the diner as a whole was one of calm/stoic interest, and he kindly/politely returns the waitress' greeting in his characteristically simple but kind way. If its possible, he'll go to a table and use some of the Poke he still has from the 1920 to order a few Spinda Shakes for him, Angie, Anubi, Melly and Mawile (probably not enough room at the table for Shiranui, Tommy probably prefers meat or simple dairy products, and their is DEFINITELY not enough room for Lovely!) , and a Tropius Lunch for Bastiodon later when they awake. Since there are no prices for any of those Items, I assume they just don't noticeably detract from any type of Poke. For the record, Terra still has $600 1925 Poke. What are their various reactions to the sweet treats, btw Iron?

If a Sitrus Malt can be bought and saved for later, he'll purchase one for Shiranui, but if it has to be eaten soon he'll decline to purchase one until possibly later (as in when the group is leaving the diner; I'll let you know if he gets one for the road in that case). 

As for the news, he's mostly uninterested compared to his food and casually scoping out the other diners/patrons, but when the allusion to Deoxys came up his head snapped INSTANTLY, the program having his full and undivided attention as stared and listened to it intensely. So intensely, in fact, it was not unnatural to say he was trying to blow up the television with sheer blood mindedness! Once that snippet played out, the Steely brawler continued to stare at the TV for several seconds, before he slowly returned to his meal/dessert, looking pensive and......resolute. Huh....

Eventually, he/his partners finished their sweet treats, recalls all his Pokemon ,and makes his way to the Water Color Painter, having noticed them and decided to pay them a curious visit to learn more about their trade/passion. Presumably the Encounter's Purpose is made/declared at some point during this conversation, and when that happens the rugged wanderer just casually offers for them the chance to paint his Milotic Lovely outside the diner, like it was no big deal to him. He wants to spend his aquatic serpentine beauty's.....well, beauty through the world and give him the spotlight he deserves, so why not do so now across time as well? If its possible, he'll try to haggle more Poke from them for the opportunity, as its not everyday an artist gets to create a work of a Milotic from a live/in person source!

*Flashback End?*

Flashback!


Heart for the most part was surprised in see the experience Terra felt in the meeting of Deoxys and his new transformation with the Steel Tag from Jirachi bless. Each member have their account with Legendary Pokemon, but not one that deep like Terra. Heart approach Terra and touch his giant shoulder. 

"Well, you pass thought a heck of a adventure right? Its good to know Deoxys don't make a mess in your head Terra. We have certain experience with that. I still have some nightmares when we meet that Seikamater, who could control Pokemon and people minds. But if Deoxys did not cause harm and was just curious...just try to avoid such dangerous action again right Terra? Don't forget we are a team. You are part of this group as anyone here."

Heart give Terra a confident smile.

"Besides, you still owe me a training duel Terra. Its gonna be difficult to beat now since you are literally strong as steel now. Guess you have a literally iron fist now. But I still gonna do my best anyway! And that Steel affinity when Riolu unlock his powers, heh."

Heart to keep a secret about Riolu evolution. No need to spoiled the surprise moment to Terra.

Flashbacks End!