[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Lord Windos]

Nathan puts a hand on Heart's shoulder to try and calm him down.  "Time's a difficult thing to reverse, Heart.  We'll think of something.  Just try to calm down for now."

Then he swims over to the HM with Kingdra to pick up the canister.

"I'll take it.  I'm the one who insisted we get it.  I'll bear the responsibility."

Yuki and Mizu pop out of their pokeballs and swim around Nathan excitedly once he retrieves the ancient technology.  No words need be exchanged.  He knows they're excited to learn the new, very powerful move.

However, they're not ready yet.  Nathan holds up a hand.  "Hold on now.  You'll have to evolve first before you can learn this move.  We'll get you both there eventually, though.  That'll just take some time and a lot of training, alright?  And then you'll be able to learn so much more, too!"

Both Dragonair nod excitedly.  They may have aged rapidly, but they're definitely still young at heart.  And definitely still young for members of their species.  They have a long, long life ahead of them still...

With that out of the way, it's time to address the Donphan in the room: the matter of teaching the move to Terra and Hearts' pokemon.  "Any pokemon you two have on hand that can learn DIVE?  I know Sari can.  It should make getting back to our starting point much easier.  As much as I want to explore these FTS ruins more, I'm not properly equipped for it right now if we were to run into more trouble.  We should come back later to look at them more closely."

Terra grimly nods back as Nathan does as he says, happy on some level he doesn't have to look after something that indirectly caused him and his own some major grief. Normally he's not one to begrudge anything, let alone an unliving thing, but getting rapidly thrusted into your thirties (or older) was such an unpleasent exprience he could make an exception for the HM and the Lumineon that guarded it. He'll certainly tell his researchers not to pull any punches in studying the heck out of those fishy fiend, as they don't deserve any easy treatment in his opinion at this point.

(...)

"Yes. Have Lapis Lazuli....with me, so they....can learn it too.....I think. *Nods* Agreed. Let us leave.....prepare, and.....return later. Much later."

I imagine that the marvelous master piece of a Pokemon would probably have a mild to severe panic attack at seeing how badly Terra has been effect in his last Encounter, casting a worried gaze towards him and an accusing 'What in the fuck happened to my partner while I was resting?' at everyone else (particularly at Nathan tho, since they seem like they're the one in charge for the past and current time ) . They wouldn't let that stop them from learning DIVE alongside Sari (Who'd be twinkled pink and all too eager about learning ANOTHER near Legendary Move to quite literally blow her challengers right out of the water) , though, but they be a bit surely about it. Hard not to take an attitude when the person you value most in your life has suffered greatly, and you suspect how and why had something to do with those who were in charge (Guess who....) . 

As for Heart's suggestion, since Nathan ended up overruling it the sagely monk elects not to say anything about it, but he does give a nod of understanding towards the rare collector to show....well, they understand and appreciate their desire to help him. Simple as that, really.

[Dragonstrike]

Then Netune, Sari, and Lapis will all learn DIVE!

...though Nathan can't really look at Lapis straight after the serpent glares so accusingly at the trainer.  Yeah, Nathan definitely feels a little guilty about what happened, even if it wasn't directly his fault.  He doesn't have much to say to the beautiful pokemon right now.  Just, "...use that HM to keep him safe, Lapis."

With that resolved, Nathan puts the HM away.  "Alright, let's head back and go find Shiva and Ventus, tell them what we found.  We've got an Almanac lab to investigate and a fossil to dig up, so let's not waste any daylight if we can."

[Iron]

"NOT. SO. FASSSST."

A familiar cold chill sweeps over the scene, and the DIVE HM returns to its sandy bank. (You notice that your mons still know the move, though).

"Whoooo is here, after sooooo long alone? This ancient machines, and indeeeeed, all the oceans surrounding it... are under myyyyy protection."

The eddies part, revealing a massive Kingdra, bigger than all the assembled watery dragons put together. As is clear from the energies rolling off of it, this is another Primal being. It has a nest of short tentacles along its mouth, crest, fins, even at random points along its body. Some emit little trails of ink like a Horsea.

"DIVE is a tremendousssss responsibility. The oceans have been much disturbed of late. Wouldn't want to let it fall into the wrong handssss... but you weren't stopped by my Lumineonnnn..."

The huge eye rolls to look at you carefully.

"And you have the stench of my kinfolk. What did they think of you, I wonder?"

"Well, well, I am not one to arrive prematurely at conclusions. I will give you a chance to explain what you need thissss ancient machine for, and then perhaps I shall offer you a deeal. Hm?"

[Dragonstrike]

Spoiler

"NOT. SO. FASSSST."

A familiar cold chill sweeps over the scene, and the DIVE HM returns to its sandy bank. (You notice that your mons still know the move, though).

"Whoooo is here, after sooooo long alone? This ancient machines, and indeeeeed, all the oceans surrounding it... are under myyyyy protection."

The eddies part, revealing a massive Kingdra, bigger than all the assembled watery dragons put together. As is clear from the energies rolling off of it, this is another Primal being. It has a nest of short tentacles along its mouth, crest, fins, even at random points along its body. Some emit little trails of ink like a Horsea.

"DIVE is a tremendousssss responsibility. The oceans have been much disturbed of late. Wouldn't want to let it fall into the wrong handssss... but you weren't stopped by my Lumineonnnn..."

The huge eye rolls to look at you carefully.

"And you have the stench of my kinfolk. What did they think of you, I wonder?"

"Well, well, I am not one to arrive prematurely at conclusions. I will give you a chance to explain what you need thissss ancient machine for, and then perhaps I shall offer you a deeal. Hm?"

Oh boy!  Time to throw around some big, possibly impressive sounding titles and feats!

"Aaaaahhhh, so you're the Primal Water Guardian, and this is where you were hidden away. I am Nathan Warren, wielder of the Sword, human pledged to aid Primal Arcanine in restoring the numbers of the Dratini species, and one of the trainers who pledged to defeat Deoxys at Primal Lurantis's request.  This is Heart, the current wielder of the Helm, and Terra.  Both them and their pokemon aided me and my own in the fight with Deoxys, along with others."

"Apologies for being a little presumptuous, but we do need the HM greatly.  We need to search a particular part of the ocean for a fossil of a Genesect so we can attempt to keep it out of the hands of those who would abuse its power should it be revived.  And I would also like to keep this HM out of those people's hands as well.  I know for a fact they already have the HM for STRENGTH in their possession, and possibly more besides that.  They nearly broke into Atheneum before my group stopped them, and have proven to be both clever and powerful foes numerous times with little regard for pokemon lives.  Based on prior events, I believe I have due cause for concern that they may eventually find this place and figure out a way to take what it's protecting for themselves."

[Iron]

This is something Shiva can flashforward to if she wants.

[Lord Windos]

Terra is......silent throughout Primal Kingdra's interruption and their dramatic introduction. Outwordly it would appear they were just being their usual stoic self, but a keen eye could easily recognize from how tense he is, the cold dark stare he was borrowing into the colossus aquaticus, and the firm set of his jaw that he was mad. Extremely mad, in fact. At it.

Why? Perhaps it was due to the fact it stopped them from obtaining the Regi Damned HM DIVE . Perhaps it was its pompus and holy than thou attitude. Perhaps it was just cause Terra, in a rare instance, no longer had an fuck or ounce of patience to give after the group's and his Lumineon Ordeal. Whatever the reason, he was not happy with the Primal or its stunt in the least.

To his credit, though, he doesn't do or say anything to the pseudo Legendary being, 'content' to just......staring at it for now while Nathan and Heart do the talking. Judging by how close his hand was hovering over Gemini's Ball, though......they were ready to be remarkbly less restraint if things are not sorted out to his satisfaction or in a timely manner.

[Iron]

"I had heard my kinfolk Arcanine and Lurantis had discovered worthy champions for their caauses. There is indeed a Genesect fosssssil, unearthed by waves, here in Creshire. For Aarcanine you promised to return Dratini to the underground ponds of Creshire. For Lurantis you promised to defeat an uneearthly invaader. What will you promise for me? Disposing of Genesect is not enough to receive the Waater Pledge."

You can see Kingdra's enormous eye does not miss Terra's hand on a Pokeball, but it doesn't seem the least bit afraid.

[Dragonstrike]

"I had heard my kinfolk Arcanine and Lurantis had discovered worthy champions for their caauses. There is indeed a Genesect fosssssil, unearthed by waves, here in Creshire. For Aarcanine you promised to return Dratini to the underground ponds of Creshire. For Lurantis you promised to defeat an uneearthly invaader. What will you promise for me? Disposing of Genesect is not enough to receive the Waater Pledge."

You can see Kingdra's enormous eye does not miss Terra's hand on a Pokeball, but it doesn't seem the least bit afraid.

"Would pledging to stop the threat of the Scimitars be enough?  They're not finished, not by a long shot.  They're still out there somewhere, plotting their next move, searching for ways to get more power to achieve their goals, whatever they may be.  Reviving and modifying the Genesect Fossil is just one of their schemes that I aim to stop, and their organization's existence will threaten the stability of the region for as long as it's present.  I'll fight them as long as I have to, pledge or no, and they're not going to get away with abusing innocent pokemon if I can help it."

[Spiritmon]

"What we can do for you to receive your blessing? We sworn to Landorus to protect and save nature. I sworn to save and protect the sea nature."

[Lord Windos]

Terra persists in his silient stare off with Primal Kingdra, noticing that they noticed his subtle gestures and doing nothing to correct them or de-escalate the tension between the two. High, mighty, and seemingly unphased with him the empereor of these seas may appear to be, it knows he's capable of laying harsh beatdown on Legendary Pokemon and the like from what Nathan's shared, and that he's confidant enough of his own power to quietly challenge them without breaking a sweat. 'Speak softly and carry a big stick,' as a certain person significant to history once said - or in this case, speaking not at all and wield the equivlent of a mobile and adaptable small scale tactical nuke.