[Game Thread] Lord Windos’ PokeRole Adventure 2: The Wild Lands

[PhantomUnderYourDesk]

Bad News, Chief - You're spent on Wi11 Points. More than spent, in fact -- You ended up 1osing THREE Wi11 during the creation of the Uni-Cure A11. Counting for the 1 Wi11 you regened between Encounter, you current1y have - 1 Wi11 right now. You shou1d be in a coma after that, but SOMEHOW, someway, Zephy managed to get you conscious despite that. How Fortunate.

Speaxing of the Uni-Cure A11, what HAPPENED with it? You have a fee1ing you ended up succeeding in its Imbuement, but beyond that....

That aside, when you try to ca11 upon your magic to do a deep assessment of yourse1f you end up getting the equivi1ent of a 'Bzz, Negatory!' response from your 'system' . Poxing about, you come to a rather dreadfu11 rea1ization - you've 1ost access to your Magica1 Power, as your 'system' has put itse1f under 1ocxdown due to the IMMENSE stress you put your body under + trying to protect you from the myriad outside forces that have been messing where they shou1dn't. From what you can te11 you won't be getting bacx your Magic unti1 at 1east Tomorrow Morning, or 1ater sti11 if you end up pushing yourse1f past your 1imits or xeep hitting metaphorica1 roadbumps.(...)

No Magical Power for a while!! Cursed be that...well, vile curse. Bernhard feels utterly deflated on top of extremely exhausted - and quite vulnerable, all of a sudden. If it wouldn't be for Zephy being around, he'd quite likely panic now, because what is a Scimitar without Magic and trusted Pokemon to draw powers from... Quite akin to NOTHING. And he hates to be NOTHING. But at least that gives him all the reason to rest, a very faint glimmer of hope in the darkness.

But despite everything his most trusted and closest Pokemon partner is still there and by his side... Thank heavens. Even in such utterly WEAK times she's still there - and he wouldn't want it any otherwise. She receives some more careful pets upon basically melting into his touch, endearing and reassuring as this reaction of her's was. Bernhard's already at his weakest physically right now, so he'll allow - by exception, mind you! - himself to display some emotional weakness too, allow that little smile to break to the surface.

Zephy tries to put up some resistance to your fond caresses, maxing that signature 'I'm angry at you, hmpt!' pouty face she gives whenever you end up disappointing her, but after hearing you 1augh and seeing you smi1e she can't he1p but soften up and me1t into your touch, 1etting out a quiet *Purr...* as the two of you enxoyed a sma11 moment together.

"You big dummy....whatever wou1d you do without your Muse, hmm? Nothing but troub1e and A1hemic 'whoopsies, me thinxs!"

Your artistic mouse simp1y nods at your first question, giving you a raised eyebrow as if to say 'You don't thinx I'm a strong enough woman to 1ift ya???' , but you next question earns you a gigg1e and an tender, a1most matron1y smi1e from the adorab1e fuzzba11. She frees herse1f from your grip for but a moment to give you a fond rub on the head, beaming at you with undisguised content, amusement, and gratefu1nes.

"Oh Bernhard...you're worth more than you can ever imagine. You cou1d gather up a11 the masterpieces of Da Vinci, Van Gogh, Miche1age1o, put them on auction, and get each and every one of them insured to the gi11s and bacx, and they wou1dn't be worth even a fraction of you. *Gigg1es* I'm a bit biased for you, but I don't be1ieve that changes much, 'cept maybe me overva1uing you a tiny bit, eh he he ~ ! A 1ife is worth so much more than most can comprehend. Yours in particu1aar. *Smi1es* Price1ess."

He'll let out a sigh of 'I know that I should have known better indeed', covering eyes with the free arm again. "How right you are... How very very right you are, my treasured one and only..." *somewhat long pause before uncovering eyes and just glancing at Zephy...* "Without you I would not be who I am now. Not in the slightest bit... probably I'd still be wandering, searching, evaluating things and myself. Maybe I'd be dead, maybe I would have found happyness elsewhere. But I'm by far MOST happy when I'm by your side. Nothing more... And nothing less."

So mote it be.

Zephy's latter words of how priceless a life - his life in partcular even - ring back for quite a while... For quite a pleasant while where everything and nothing has been shared and spoken between Master Scim and artsy Mythicmon.

She gives you a tired *Sigh* at the rest of what you say, but she u1timate1y gives you a s1ight1y begrudging nod, crossing her arms and 1ooxing at you stern1y as she did so.

"Oh a11 right, fair enough. After seeing the what a11 the hub bub was about this we1fare you toox upon yours1ef to do - *Smi1es* so proud of ya for that, btw ~ - I'd have to be heart1ess as vengefu1 Ghost to NOT rush to he1p that poor 1i1' 1ass out! *Sighs* Sti11, p1ease be more carefu1 in the future and taxe your time with things, un1ess you simp1y can't. You're a ta1ented Magi and A1chemist, but you're not perfect, especia11y with stuff that 1ays outside your whee1house. If things went even a 1itt1e more wrong for you.... *Shudders* ...I rather not share, ugh. *Worried 1oox* So p1ease p1ease p1ease promise this - BE the masterfu1, wise, and cautious Magi I XNOW you are, Berny."

There's another somewhat amused but also faintly embarassed chuckle. Bernhard way too exhausted to keep up his usual stoic facade, plus he feels that towards ZEPHY, who knows him thoroughly and completely, he may show a tiny bit of his true self. 

What Zephy tells however does remind Bernhard of that...presence that appearantly came to his rescue. Or was it Miss Fortune once more? Was it both? Probably both. "...I do admit to you that I kind of got carried away eventually. Seeing how I was quite literally Mr. Gleam's last hope, how Nirix let me process his most prized and utterly magical HORN for the first time ever since we've been partners... It has been a tad bit hard to think clearly and NOT let feelings get the better of me eventually. I do not plan nor WANT for that to occure again too soon... Preferably not so in a LONG time, seeing how vexing and taxing it is... You do have my word on that, Zephy. Please rest assured on that..." Promise given, a figurative Unbreakable Vow made.

Seeing you have a s1ight panic over your other two Partner's after checxing their Ba11s and finding them EMPTY, she p1aces a paw on you chin to grab your attention and smi1es. 

"Worried about where the rest of our merry band is, eh? We11, don't - they're current1y with the G1eams right now. Ruben is sti11 out of it, sad1y - a11 that stress must have caught up with him, and he's paying a11 the interest it incurred - but Saph... *Thoughtfu1 frown* ....she hasn't gotten worse, despite everything. 1ast I checx her eye1ids were f1uttering and fe1t a bit more Vita1 - she might be c1ose to waxing up, at 1east for a 1i1' bit. *Sighs* ...I rather you rest up more, but if you want to checx up on her I'11 he1p you out - xust don't do anything e1se that'11 tire you out to dream1and, yes?"

If you asx about the Potion/Cure you were maxing, Zephy gives you a comp1icated expression, both positive yet amazed and confused.

"Uh...I don't xnow what you did, but you Succeed in maxing whatever you intend to cure Saph. I thinx. Medicine Magic isn't my sty1e of grooming, and what you ended up creating ... *Shaxes head* you have to see if for yourse1f - I can't proper1y put into words at what you ended up maxing with 1ucx, Sxi11, and pure grit."

Knowing that his other two partners are safe... It took QUITE the load off his mind. Likewise when informed about...Saph's state... Bernhard's way too exhausted to move on his own right now, least get up, but the news of her state Zephy shared do hit him quite lowly in a positive sense. "Truely...? That's a relief... She'll be fine.. When so I don't know, but... *pauses and frowns heavily* Waaait, you said Mr.Gleam himself is still out like a light, yes?" Bernhard gives another quite low, but somewhat delighted chuckle. "He'll be happy to know and see for himself... Please, can you, Zephy, help me get up and see him? Let us - very slowly and carefully please, it's almost painful to even THINK of moving around - go and check on him at last. As well as on...'the rest of our merry band', as you put it. No doubt do they worry and fret for dear old me... No doubt am I NOTHING without them."

"And let us take a glance at the brewing, for I need to see myself, please... HOW I made it I'm sure, but it is done, the Curse be...broken and banished into the abyss..." Right, Bernhard's also somewhat afraid of how Mr.Gleam's kitchen looks after what has happened... But with the brewing process having been successful, he hope any mess will be worth it.

"Say, Zephy... Do you have anything against spending the night HERE, of catching up on rest here if Mr.Gleam permitts and allows? Even with your help i doubt I'll make it to our room at the Embassy in one piece or without succumbing... I do admit it is also somewhat FRIGHTENING to be completely deprived of the Magic I so am used to have around and access to." Then suddenly, Bernhard leans in a little closer, gives Zephy a somewhat stern and..unamused? look. "I do also need to have a word with you, please. No, don't be afraid... But I do feel a need to talk with you concering you having escaped my care yesterday night."


-----------
Action 1: 
Somewhat get up from our position, with Zephy's help. Without access to Magic though there's no possibility to make use of her flight skill or Graceful Levitation to aid myself, so we'll need all her manual help.

Action 2: 
Check on the kitchen, and check on our brewed Curse Cure. Bottle it up into the finest vials Bernhard can bring up/has access to, for it deserves no less.

Action 3:
 SOMEHOW make it upstairs to Saph's room, taking ANY time we need and using Zephy's complete and full help please. Enter it, and reunite with Myra and Nirix first and foremost, giving them an (in Bernhard's terms) unusually warm welcome, expressing how proud we are of both of them and how good it feels to be with them again. "Are you two...okay? Please, fret not too much over dear me... *siggghs* I'm in desperate need of rest and some sleep, but I will be..okay at last... *looking beat, but quite proud* Thank you for your aid. I could not have made it without, never so. Without trusted partners like you two are, I'd be...nothing and none."

---

Oh right... Bernhard knew he was forgetting something. Something that now comes back to bite him... We're getting to that right here and right now, taking the requirement to go over and respond to the no doubt numerous missed messages as a sort of excuse to remain laying down. Too exhausted to sit up straight to respond properly now.

And with that, Seddi will find a bench somewhere and send a very short and blunt text to Bernhard, asking the question that's been on his mind the entire investigation.  Time to stop beating around the bush and figure out what's going on with that mage. (of course, what Seddi doesn't know is that Bernhard is out cold at this current time)

Bernhard, did you hear about what happened this morning?

The response to that will be sent @everyone, aka into a group chat or similar. Just so they stop worry over him, if they happen to do so... That's something that he's not very used to (read: others worrying and fretting over him.)

Good evening and greetings there. I see you all have been...busy meanwhile, trying to reach out to me perhaps and mayhaps. Do excuse my absense and unresponsiveness please.

For what has happened that caused the whole city of Bahama go into a sudden lockdown... No, the reasons for that are beyond me as of currently . What I did catch it that some bad shenanigans concering one or two Pokemon Centers happened, before I got acquainted with some important figure whose daughter was in desperate need of my alchemistic skills. Had some teatime, went over the details, agreed to lend him my aid - Denying would be utterly heartless. Ended up encountering the MOST vile curse I have seen in long, and I DID see some bad curses already, truely so. 

The end result is an...experience that will haunt me for a while, me being extremely dained but accomplished. Just...tired. So very tired... Exhausted to the very core... Hardly able to hold myself together...

Seddi, do give your Iron Leaves my genuine thanks for the Soulaby Flowers they generate, for these are POTENT. I'll likely ask to gather some more at the soonest opportunity, but will think twice about processing them. 

Whatever has happened with the Centers... I am certain you all have gotten yourselves involved somehow already, for better or for worse.

I'm available for a bit now, before I'll need to continue wrapping up what I have started... But... So tired... *unreadable keysmashes for a row or so*