[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Nathan sighs.

"...I get that you want to help.  I really do.  But I'm not going to ask you to undo your hard work just for my sake and Gallade's.  That'd be selfish of us."

Nathan pauses, then quietly continues.

"...I will see Cosh pay for what he's done, though.  I'm not going to stand by and let him and his organization do as they please, and I sure as heck don't want to give them exactly what they want.  Just because we're working with them for now doesn't mean I have to be all buddy buddy with everyone and be happy about it.  They aren't all bad people, but..."

He pauses again, stopping himself there before he continues with a slightly different topic. 

"...I've got other things to worry about right now, though.  I'm going to go check on my dad and his pokemon again, make sure they're all doing okay.  If we're all going to make it out of here in one piece, we're going to need all the strength we can muster when we head deeper down."

Nathan turns to leave.  Gallade watches Terra for a moment longer to see how the man reacts, though...

If there's anything that should be clear, it's that Nathan has a lot on his shoulders, a lot that's weighing him down.  Responsibility is a tough thing.

(Since my last response post turned out pretty long, I'll put it in Spoilers, so as not to unduly hog up the page or distract others.)

Flashback - Heart to heart with Nathan

At first, Nathan's comment about 'not wanting him to undo his work' confused him, as he didn't know who or what they were referring to.

'Huh? Not want me to......undo my work for him? What does he mean - oh."

Then the realization hit him, like a caffeinated Lucario going at him with Extreme Speed.

It was the positive relationship he was trying his best to foster between himself, Cosh, and the Scimitars. That was the main problem.

Should have be obvious, in retrospect, but this is Terra we're talking about, 'He Who's Social Ineptitude Is Without Peer'. What really mattered was that now he knew what was up, and what he had to say about his revelation....

"....Ah. ....Believe I understand now, what is the problem. 

*Beat. Long Beat*

"............I'm sorry. I'm....sorry, Nathan. I....just wanted to be on good terms with Cosh and the Scimitars. Understand them better, and why they.....choose to great bad for good. Thought.....still think doing both, and becoming friendly with them, would cause them to be more helpful. Less likely to cause problems, and keep peace between our groups...."

"Never thought.....didn't think what I was doing would hurt you like.....this. *Slowly shakes head* .....Didn't think at all. "

"......I'm sorry, Nathan."

He really, genuinely was. It was in no way his intention to create a schism between him, Nathan, and the Scimitars with his peacekeeping/relationship building efforts, nor make them feel like complete and utter crap while he was at it. Ye gods, he was so sorry for doing that to him.

What he left unsaid, though....it made his apologies seem disengenious at best.

After all, he never said he was going to stop what he was doing, nor break things off with Cosh and the Scimitars. For as much as he hated what he did and would keep doing to the Lore Master, he couldn't afford to not do what he was doing. Both his and the Scimitars needed to work together peacefully and seamlessly as possible in Order to cooperate with maximum effectiveness, or otherwise just trying to Survive the Skull Ruins would quickly become a exponentially insurmountable task, much less actually prevail against the accursed local and what comes after they were done. 

So the best way he could see that everyone's odds of Survival/success were high as possible and keep his friend protected to the fullest of his capability, he must[ continue to be the friendly intermediary between his group and the Scimitars. It was a rather thankless task, and since no one else wanted to do it, it fell to him  to be saddled with the responsibility. Especially if doing so could 'save the souls' of the Scimitars in the end.

One person had to do it, though, and if must be him, then so be it.

If it meant maximizing the odds he'd be able to protect his friends and see them out of the Skull Ruins alive, he'd do almost anything.

Even if it meant causing emotional harm. Mental wounds could be treated at their own time. Life threatening situations, not at all. Simple as that.

......

A heavy silence descended between Terra and Nathan, until the later broke it with a reaffirmal to bring to hang for his crimes (metaphorically speaking or not...), which caused him to become even more pensive and brooding, until he had what he thought was the most clear and honest response to softly share with his friend.

".....*Shakes head* .....Won't stop you getting vengeance on Cosh or the Scimitars. Bring them all to justice. Promised to help you do that too, so long, long ago."

"....But. *Shakes head again, more slowly this time* .....But I don't want you to......drag yourself down over your hatred. Remember old saying, about vengeance: 'Dig two grave before Pursuing it. One for your enemy, and one for yourself.' Don't let your feelings....cloud you judgement, or bring ruin to you or others. Find peace within yourself, or make some of your own. Still can hate Scimitars, but.....let it not control you. Share problems with others. If not with me, then someone else, or your partners. Don't keep it all in. Helps no-one, that way."

Terra paused as he mulled over the last thing he was going to say next to the boy, until he decided to so with great deliberation, his stare serious and solemn once more.

"......I think some of the Scimitars can be redeemed. Made in true heroes, instead of what they are now. But only if given the chance too. Will not ask you to do that, but.....don't want you to condemn them all forever. Let your anger and hate for them consume your heart. ....Like with Ventus. If the Scimitars are truly.....irredeemably bad, to everyone or you, then be the better person. Be you. That.....is all."

And so it was. Terra let the conversation drop like a hot rock once, releasing the scholarly trainer from it and letting them leave without hassle. When they mentioned taking care of Marco and turns around, though.....he rose off his 'bed' and called out to them.

"Wait."

*Beat*

".....Can I help you? Take care of.....your dad and his Pokemon? Like.....groom them? Make good nutritional meals, work their energy out? Or....something."

At that moment, Gallade would see/feel that the steely brawler was.....resigned, in a way. Resigned to be torn up between his Loyalties to Nathan, his Duties, and his burgeoning relationship with Cosh, and that his own peacekeeping and friendship making efforts were going to have a continual negative impact on his friend(s). He wants everyone to be happy......but chooses to do his best to keep them safe and protected instead. It was a most bittersweet choice, but he made and would not regret it. Especially if it had the potential to do greater good than the harm it had caused.

Didn't stop him from feeling so disappointed and rueful of himself for blitheringly causing this mess, or at the very least compounding it.

He could live with his own emotional burden, though, and not let it crush him. He'd be back to himself in the morning, keeping his own issues subdued and tempered in the back of his head.

And if could not help Nathan in one way......perhaps he could in another.

That was what Gallade would be able to discern from reading Terra.

Their partner was not the only one bearing a heavy load. But he could handle it, and help them with some of their's. If they allowed.

You begin ascending down the sunken ship's passage as indicated by Cosh. Halfway along, Sari comes forth from her Pokeball to fulfill her promise! 

She wanders down a much smaller side passage than the one Cosh was planning to follow, which soon widens and descends until becoming a large dead end chamber. To one side is a massive golden relief of a circlet crown and a big golden Apricorn symbol. As Sari approaches, it shimmers and reforms into a giant golden Slowking crown, halfway embedded in the wall. She smirks at Terra to show how important she is, then sits on your foot and begins to lick her fur.

Terra.....had not a smattering of an idea what that Gold Circlet was, its purpose, or what it could do, and said as much to everyone. When it transformed into a Golden Slowking's Crown, it only served to increase his own confusion and curiosity with it.

"Uh.....what is that? Everyone? *Looks down* Sari?"

If the sagely monk was close enough to it, he'd also get out his Pickaxe and try to free the G.S.C. from the wall, then  prying it out and to better examine it in hand to figure out what it was. If not (or Sari being on his foot would prevent him from getting it out) he'd send Angie to Dig it out and carry the G.S.C. back to him/the group. 

Oh, and give his superbly shiny sloth a pat on her crown for a job well done finding.....whatever the G.S.C. was. He'd also be a bit spooked by Heart's Cofagrigus arrival, until he suddenly remembered something that got him thinking for a minute, before he approach the grinning coffin.

"Cofagrigus, could you give me your Mummy curse? Might be able to help me scare off Wild Pokemon here, or use it against them."

Now, that request might seem insane, but it was not without merit or use. The Mummy's curse was a potent weapon if leveraged right, and it would probably do wonders in seeming even more terrifying than usual (or possibly make the local Ghosts ignore him, which works too). Besides, Heart could always undo the curse later, as seen when he broke the curse himself when he was suffered it with their Earthpower.