[Game Thread] Pokerole: Mount Coronet Mystery

[Lord Windos]

Spoiler

Karen has that sheepish look of someone getting lectured by their parents when Randolph not so subtly calls her out for being nosy.  To her credit, though, even when she's being apologetic and is finding it difficult to look at Randolph directly, she's still trying to be at least a little cheery.  "...I'm sorry...I think you're doing a good job, though...I don't think we could do this without your help..."

Lotus, meanwhile, has chosen to start ignoring Randolph, finding his comments rude.  What kind of gentleman forces a lady to do something they don't wish to do?  The bare minimum amount of attention she pays to him is because she's making sure that he doesn't treat Karen the same way.

Amethyst is 100% concerned about Randolph's behavior, but not just because of him.  For a moment while he's talking, she looks very anxious, looking in every direction.  By the time Randolph has finished talking, though, whatever was bugging her has seemingly gone away...

Boreas is certainly trying to chat with Lotus, but the rose doesn't seem very interested in socializing right now for obvious reasons.

Karen eventually summons her Magnezone as she and Randolph awkwardly stand around in silence.  She gives her closest partner a hug, and she manages to crack a small smile again.  She'd been waiting so long for this day, and now it's finally here...sometimes ya just need to focus on the small comforts instead...

Hearing the wee lass' timid apology and encouragement prompts Ran to remove his hand from his face and crack open his eyes to peer at her with a small amount of reserve, until he let out another *Sigh* and leaned up from Amethyst and stood before her again, and rested a hand against the girl's torso (or wherever he can reach that isn't inappropriate) .

"....Karen....thank ya. Can't begin to understand why a young'em like you appreciates anything about a tired old bastard like myself, but....maybe you can see something I can't. That, and I don't have to understand in order to accept it, I think. So.....thank you again."

He looked so lost and tired as he spoke about that, but underneath both was a sense of gratitude towards her. Easy enough to find, if you knew where to look.

Lotus' dismissive attitude towards his advice earns her (and by extension Karen) last remarks from him, his expression towards her more grave and serious than ever.

"Heed these words, Lotus: those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. If your Trainer is put through another situation like this because you refused to grow, change, or adapt yourself from this one, whatever trouble you fail to prevent will entirely be on you. And the next time, you two might not have anyone to bail you out of it."

His ivory protector's behavior doesn't go unnoticed by him, but since she eventually calmed down he decided not to comment on it. If whatever troubling her was gone and/or absent now, then he was not going to worry himself or her anymore about it yet. Right now, they all have enough woe to handle as it is...

Boreas' failed attempts at friendship/otherwise with the walking bouquet earns him a a small amused snort from his Trainer, and they themselves just end up shrugging and leaving the prickly rose to their own devices. Cold shoulders don't bother him too much, for fairly obvious reasons.

Ran would let the bi-chromatic eyed girl her moment with her Magnezone, silently watching the two with what might be a contemplative and inscrutable expression while leaning against Amethyst for the longest time, before again he leans up from them and *Claps!* his hands, getting their attention (hopefully).

"Alright, let's regroup with Rui and get a move on north (the passage the Rhyperior was guarding), Karen. We still need to find the Stairs on this Floor, or otherwise we'll be harassed by the locals or eventually this Wind Scizors talked about, and between those to I prefer dealing with neither . *Jerks thumb at Rhyperior* And I'm betting that rhino was guarding either the path to them, or something equally special or important. So when ya ready, let's go."