[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

Ventus chuckles a bit more at his old friend's? astonishment, then outright laughs when they scold him for the jumpscare he gave them, finally releasing them as he adjust his glasses and wipes a tear from his eye.

"Hah hah hah! Now there's the fire that lies in your belly, Nate, and what a sight for my sore eyes it is! Hah hah! Oh, how this brings back the memory when I first got the better of you like this, all the way back in Corsage! It's only been a couple months since then, but it somehow feels that an epoch has be whiled away since them....." 

To his credit, the roguish scientist soon relented in the merriment he had at the boy's expense, smiling at him beatifically and bowing his head as he properly re-introduced himself to them.

"But yes, it is I, Ventus Zachariah, Pokemon Researcher extraordinaire, coming straight from my lab to grace you with a surprise visit! One that I'm glad you both took so well, ah ha! It's a pleasure to see you too, Nate, and I'm glad you don't find my presence......overbearing or unwelcome, as some might say."

When they inquired as to what he picked up from their meeting with their boss, Ven simply clapped his hands and lightly exclaimed "No, not at all! As you might imagine, Dagny cherishes her privacy and take grave offense to those that would infringe upon it, so out of respect to her and for my own well-being I don't listen in upon her conversions or business in her office in anyway. Even if I did, she'd eventually find out, which would only complicate matters between us, which we both rather not deal with, so we don't. That, and I can always ask her sooner or later about the meeting, and she'll give me the details in one form or another unless she has pressing reasons not too. Simple as that, as Terra would say!"

Ven then tilts his head, looking politely curious now.

"Speaking of which, how is he doing? More to the point, how are [i][i][i][i][i][i][i][i][i][i][i][i][i]you and everyone else doing? I've not heard back from his yet in the slightest, so I only have reports from the League, Dagny's own intelligence and my own as to what transpired before, during, and after your epic clash with 'Deoxys Prime's' forces. Altogether they paint quite[/i] a picture as to what tortures and perils you've been put through, but I imagine the leave out a lot of personal details that could shade and accentuate those events, hmm? Care to share right now, or should we put that off for another day? It [/i]is[/i] getting rather late, and I [/i]also[/i] imagine you and our friends are worn out from today's proceedings."

At this point, he claps his hands together again, and smiles down even more radiantly at the young scholar.

"Oh, and congratulations for saving Cheshire, Nate! Would be remiss of me not to give you the praise that grand heroic feat deserve, I believe! You'd done your family proud, and I don't think I have to tell you how [/i]I[/i] feel about it, right?"

He inclines his head towards Gallade as he says this, both returning their greeting from earlier and acknowledging that they were likely scrutinizing his emotions right now and conveying them straight to their partner as he speaks. Something which he's apparently unbothered by, which considering his own [/i]issues[/i] and stance on mental sanctity was remarkable. It also appeared like he was either ignoring or was not paying attention to Nathan's feelings right now, though whether that was out of respect to them or simply being too caught up handling his [/i]own[/i] feelings and keeping himself open to Shiva was indeterminable. Knowing Ven, it was likely for both reasons, but who can tell with him?[/i][/i]

"...Terra's doing...good.  Yeah, definitely good...he kinda split off from everyone else for now to do his own stuff, though...Heart and Spira as well..."

Pointedly, Nathan's still looking at the ground and attempting to obscure his face with the brim of his hat.

He doesn't seem to be particularly flattered by Ventus's praise, either.  "...couldn't have done it alone.  Everyone else deserves praise too, human or otherwise...I was only doing what I felt was right..."

One thing's for certain: Nathan's 100% feeling really awkward about this, and you don't have to be an empath to be able to tell.