[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Spiritmon]

Spoiler

++ At some point Shiva takes the time to listen Heart out, it doesn't necessarily have to occur before he runs into the Fighting Horde and she goes to follow a believed Klefki. Anytime is fine, flashback/flashforward!~ ++


She patiently lets him vent, feeling a little flattered that he came to her to unburden his for heavy heart, yes she has been feeling that something's weighting the PUNisher down rather distinctively, and connected this and that thunderstorm of negative emotions he's radiating with the Ancient Sword. Said thunderstorm makes her keep a little distance to Heart because it's so strong, it's almost suffocating for someone as empathic as her.

(...) Heart then took a breath a begin to tell the whole thing. "Its...about Nathan. But I think its more serious this time. About this...Sword thing. Why he was the one to grab the sword? He never pass though the same ordeals that I have. Or see anyone he ever know die before his own very eyes like I was. Why he was the one to have the right in wield such sword? I deserve way more than him in wield it. He is not worth, and I deserve way more than him. I cant...simple accept him as Leader. He doesnt have what it takes to be Leader, or the weight of responsability like me had with the rebuild of my clan."

For some reason, Shiva's not suprised that it's about issues he's having with the young historian. She holds back a small sigh as at the moment she's actually not so up to talk about him, but woe her to refuse someone of the group wishing to speak with her about tricky stuff and personal issues. She discreetly makes sure that Nathan himself doesn't pick up on what Heart tells as that'd be plain mean AND she'd immediately stop Heart if he were to call Nathan names as that's REALLY not appreciated nor tolerated by her. He thankfully didn't, yay!

When she replies, she has a frowning expression and feels like having to ground Heart a little. "Heart, don't you think you, well.... are giving that Sword a little too much significance than needed? Like, none said that it will make you a leader. It may be assumed that it can do so, it may be an old and frequently-used symbol of leadership, it may be our key to actually harm Deoxys, but BY NO MEANS is becoming the wielder of this precious Artifact is equal or directly tied with becoming a leader. Someone wanting or striving to become one needs some characteristic traits and build up some authority towards others, just owning a very special ancient sword won't automatically crown you into the new leader. Do you understand...?" She pauses a little to let Heart progress this. "That's just...my view though... But you see, in the nearly three months we're adventuring now, did we ever need someone to lead us? ...No, we didn't. I actually prefer to think we're all equally important, none of us weighs more than the other. We all have done great things! And, look, did Nathan ASK you or us to see him as the Leader, does he act like he's thinking he's one now? ...No, he hasn't and he isn't, you're just assuming this it seems and are drawing the wrong conclusions."

She saying all of this to Heart may appear somewhat insensitive at first, but she feels she has to drop things directly to make him see what's wrong in his thinking.

"And... PLEASE don't start with who deserves one of these Artifacts more and who does less, that's leading into a bad direction that will encourage nothing but jealousy. Jealousy can be so toxic in a group.." For the next bit her voice fills with disappointment and slight anger even. "It's not the nicest thing of you to say that Nathan is not worth of the Swor, you know... Well, sure, he hasn't made the same experiences you made and the other way round, but wouldn't you agree that he's having some good reason to wield this Sword in particular as well? They differ from yours and yours differ from his, and that's okay. Heart, look, this region is his HOME. His whole family's here. Unlike we others he has no means to escape to someone close in another region nor has a safe haven where he can go if Chresire's turned into a wasteland by the threat from the Comet (at least not that Shiva knows or would guess of), so of course he wishes to do everything that's needed to protect his home and family that's in his might, and you should let him. You know, I imagine it rather heartbreaking, frustrating and stressful to know that doom's coming at your home and you can't do anything to prevent or fight it, and maybe his desire to give SO MUCH for a way to fight off that doom stems from those feelings. It feels...wrong to me to begrudge him for that."

That's a lot of defending-Nathan that Shiva is doing her, guess it means she hasn't given up on him at all.

"And despite everything that I done to him to the point of even sacrifice many items of mine, including my Everlink Armor and Miracle Rood, he refuses to help me find East Wind Sid. All of this, only make hate Nathan. And everytime I see Nathan wielding that sword around it, make my blood boiled with hatred, jealous and indignation. I was even willing to not help anymore his father in regain his humanity and leave him in his currently state.

At this point Shiva indeed can't hold back a frustrated sigh for Heart. ".... Hate is a strong emotion, Heart, a very strong one that can't be wipped away completely or easily. You SHOULDN'T hate him over THIS issue, that's just...not a right nor justified thing I think. Neither should you outright spite him by refusing to further help his father with your talent, that'd only to serve to hurt him massively and loose trust in you as he's forced to find other ways to cure his dad when he's SO close to being a human again. Would you really want that? No, please don't answer that."

"All of this make me say horrible things to him. About he not be worth of wield the sword that I deserved more in wield that Artefact. About the father thing. And even said to him that I hope loosing a friend was worth enough for him to wield a sword...and I feel bad to have said that things to him...but I cant simple...ignore everything that happened. He is my friend, and help me a lot in the past...but I cant help it but felt betrayed and used by him. He knows how much important get the sword was to me. And I even try to ignore this by helping him to get the sword, and I was expecting some sort of compensantion from him...But that sword was sharp enough to cut the strings of friendship we have between us."

"I know what I did was wrong...but I not in mood to beg Nathan to apologize me, because as much betrayed and hurt he feels, I also feels hurt and betrayed by him. Because he didnt say or did anything to prove that our friendship ever meant something to us. I feel ashamed, but I will not apologize me. If he is that worth of the Sword and thinks he is the Leader, he needs to prove to me that our friendship meant something. That our friendship is more important than a sword."

Towards these points, Shiva actually has the least to say, but she tries anyway to put some significance into her words. "Well, I can't change that you feel betrayed and used by what he did, nor can you, You acknowledge these feelings, that's a good first step into dealing with them accordingly: Please don't let these emotions overtake you, Heart. Well, not more than they already did, that is..." She sighs a little more, all this talk is stressing her a little appearantly.

"NONE forces you into apologizing if you don't want to, and it'd be wrong to say that you're sorry if you don't mean it. Maybe at a later point you'll feel a desire to do so... And NO sword on the entire planet, entire universe if you want, should be more important than friendship! Is it worth it loosing him as a friend of yours over it, Heart? Only you can decide that, but me feels it is not. If Nathan himself hasn't done anything to show how much your friendship means to him, maybe you should approach him with this concern of yours, and ask to talk about it, ask for his opinion and insight about it and that you'd like to know where you're standing in his view. That's much more efficient than leaving yourself in the dark, you just have to make that step by your own initiative."

"I was even willing to challenge him to a battle, for the right in wield the sword. Screw this bonding Artefact thing. He is not my Leader, and I not accept the fact that he is more worth in wield that sword than me."

Shiva still doesn't like that people tend to solve personal problems with a Pokemon Battle, as she's finding it wrong to get them involved when they're actually not; but that's just her and she opts to not speak that out here. "Well, challenging someone to a fight PER SE isn't something wrong, but what were you hoping to achieve with this fight? What would happen if you win, if he wins, if neither of you wins - did you think about that? And how Nathan respond anything to your challenge, if at all?"

At his last words of 'more worth', she points and taps the Shield she herself is carrying. " ...Come on, Heart, don't be riduculous, are you REALLY thinking that wielding one of the Artifacts raises your worthiness? Look, am I more worth than you just because of this pretty and ancient Shield? ...No. No I'm not, please don't tell me I am, I don't feel like I am even if it has fully bonded to me now. You shouldn't let some Artifacts dictate your selfworth and self-esteem."