[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

...that was bold of Kelda.  VERY bold.  A decision like that couldn't have been easy.  And it looked like that was going to hurt, too, either now or later.

Of course, that's probably why Mesprit presumably helped Kelda come to that decision, oh so subtly.  Nathan seems to be the only one aware that the subtle little emotional nudge was present, though.  It's a tiny little thing, something that would easily go unnoticed to those who aren't looking for it or aware that it might be a thing that was possibly happening...

While Nathan can only watch as Kelda makes her choice, he's not as surprised by it, unlike everyone else.  He doesn't make any moves to interfere, even when Cosh tries to.  Nathan was the one who started planting the idea that being a part of the Scimitar organization might not be a great idea in the long term, after all.  The idea that their treatment of pokemon is far from ideal...

...the last straw being the responsibility she'd have to bear as the one wearing the Helm is just the force that broke the dam, so to speak.  Not everyone is cut out for 'hero' work.  Or at least, not the kind of 'hero' work that Cosh and the other Scimitars were practicing.  That kind of a decision should be Kelda's alone...

Nathan cannot blame Kelda for wanting to get as far away from this mess as possible for the time being.  So he silently watches as she hitches a ride on that Noivern as it FLIES away, over the mountains to who knows where...though if Nathan had to guess, Kelda will probably end up somewhere in Charring Cross or maybe even Tumbleweed Town.  He doubts Noivern will let her hitchhike for long, and he hopes she doesn't end up lost in the mountains instead of in the safer parts of civilization.  Without her gauntlet, she's just an ordinary human missing a hand, with 4 pokemon at most that all have very little reason to be Happy in her company or Loyal to her...

He hopes that the next time they meet, things will be different for Kelda.  He'll look for her after this is all over.

For now, though, there are other problems to deal with.

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The Mist Lord's timing couldn't have been better, because Nathan was about to retort in response to Cosh's statement.  The news that Deoxys is in Trillium of all places and wants to strike a bargain of some kind...

"...wait, Trillium?  Bargain?"

Nathan has a bad feeling about this...

"...oh no...not again...please don't let that mean what I think it might mean..."

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Spira's vision interrupts things nicely once more, though.

The Eye.  

The pokemon of Royalty, Kingdom, and Knighthood, originally Xerneas, Landorus, and Cobalion...

The Eye awakening when all three have been gathered...

It all just gives Nathan a feeling that this isn't going to be over even after they've dealt with Deoxys.

...and the fact that Spira looked at his arm when the Helm started bonding with him...just what does that mark mean?  What does that make Spira?  More than human, certainly, but why?  And what do the three Lunar Legendaries have to do with what's happening?

Those are questions that will likely go unanswered for now, but Nathan can't help but wonder...

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Right now, though, Nathan has to prepare what will likely be one of the most important and impactful encounters in his life.

Deoxys is in Trillium.

So are his mom, Keni, Uncle Oscar, and so many trainers who had taken shelter from the destruction and chaos Deoxys brought with it.

The heavy League presence won't be enough to protect them all if Deoxys decides to do something adverse to the town's wellbeing.

Nathan and his pokemon can't afford to fail here.  They won't.  They'll need to put all the effort they can into pulling this off.

Nathan carefully takes the Will Point Orchid out of his bag and twists the stem, gives it a good whiff, then hands it to Princess as well, regaining 1 Will Point.  After expending so much energy and willpower to summon those Combee, Arceus knows they need to take a breather.

In addition, Grid is Revived (with the Revive I said Nathan was using in the final Round against the Deoxys Clones) and fully healed (with the honey from the Combee since he would have been conscious at that point).

Nathan teaches Charizard how to use Thunder Punch with the newly acquired TM!  Though Charizard never really needed an Electric or Grass type move to deal with Water types before, Nathan's sure that he can appreciate a move that will let him deal with them even more easily. The TM for Outrage will be saved for later, though.

And finally, Nathan swaps Calam's Black Glasses for the Absolite.  It's time to fulfill another one of the promises he'd made...

And with those preparations finished, Nathan hops on Charizard, just about ready to FLY to Trillium ASAP.  "...this is it.  The final confrontation.  How it will end, I don't know...all we can do is have faith that it will end well, and do our best to bring about such a conclusion..."

Nathan looks around the area before taking off, though, trying to see if he can spot Mesprit.  Mesprit's done so much to help them already, even without being directly involved in the battle itself.  He hopes the Being of Emotion will help them with this encounter as well.

(OOC Question: if I wanted to summon the Combee swarm again in Trillium, would I have to spend another 5 Will Points?)