TEST 8.

[azumods]

FLOW. The feeling of pressure in here is immense. It's stronger than it was with Darkrai, something you can feel down to your core, something that you couldn't shake off even if you tried; there's nothing to do but power through it. Saturn, for his part, either isn't feeling it at all or is incapable of reacting in any sort of appropriate way even if he could; he simply continues to regard you from across the room, his words hanging heavy in the room. It's a far cry from his behavior during the first month you were here; he was civil then, willing to do you favors in exchange for the chance to talk to you. It's plain that he will be doing no such thing today; it may be difficult to know where to start, really. Especially when your Pokémon don't seem to be doing well - whatever's happening here, they seem reluctant, even unwilling, to fight anything in this room. Perhaps it's not surprising; the energy in the room is likely familiar to them, and it's the sort associated with someone deciding to take their spirit away last time it was angered. Whatever the reason, you're on your own for now; whatever happens is your choice, and yours alone.

Comments

[azumods]

[Saturn pauses a bit then, tipping his head a little before he speaks.]

It really has been nice catching up with all of you. And I suppose I can appreciate your concern for me, even if it was completely unfounded. But I can't allow you to simply stand around here any longer than you have been.

Honestly, I should just kill you all where you stand. But since you've been so well-behaved, maybe you'll listen to reason. I'm granting you the opportunity to get out - to leave this place, and leave Dialga to me, and it can be as though this never happened.

Of course, you're probably going to be too stubborn to take it, and you're going to try to argue the point, and this is going to turn into something really messy. But I'm putting the offer on the table anyway. Consider it a matter of good faith.

[eudaimonikos]

Thought you said killing was barbaric. You actually went off on this whole anti-violence thing, I remember it pretty well. Or was that also an imperfection?

[azumods]

I do find it barbaric. Were it up to me, I wouldn't. But if it turns out that I have to eliminate you for the good of our world, then so be it.

[discutio]

...I gave you my word that I would challenge you with all I had. To stand aside now is as unthinkable to me as awakening to common sense is to you.

[azumods]

Oh, good, you're back to the sarcasm. I was almost worried about you.

[ventulus]

What do you mean kill?

[ He... ]

Is that what you would really want? Is it what all the people you know and love would want? You... killing people?!

[azumods]

Of course it's not what I want. Killing is a barbaric option, and if it were up to me I wouldn't have to.

What I'm doing is for the good of my world. Surely you can understand that much.

[divinedescendant]

[not for nothing and she won't interrupt the conversation ("conversation") but Emmeryn swiftly comes to Ventus's side and just a shoulder in front of him, prepared to pull him right behind her at any moment]

[semistableman]

Nice of you to give us a choice like you don't already know what we're going to do.

[azumods]

It doesn't seem right not to. Were it up to me, I wouldn't kill anyone. But this is a matter of fighting for my world, and for Master Cyrus. If you need to be eliminated, then so be it.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

I...

[Sena's got an expression on his face that's...honestly a really awkward mix of absolute fear and some kind of determination.

Okay, he kinda looks constipated. It's not a very good mix. It doesn't detract from the firmness in his voice when he speaks, though! Mostly!]

I'm not gonna step aside for someone who'd...who'd run away from themselves!

[azumods]

[...That sure is an expression there, Sena, are you okay, please try not to blow any capillaries in your face?]

Is that what you think I've done...? These imperfections of mine were going to be removed one way or another; it's a necessity. I'm capable of recognizing that, and having it done on my own terms.

[anythingforyou]

Really, now...I suppose I shouldn't have expected any less.

[Oh good, she's kind of ready and waiting for the orders to fucking go at this point. At the very least, she's quick to turn back to her partners to try to make sure they can still go for it. They're still definitely effected by what's in the room, but...]

Arion, Altena, Haar, Melady; be prepared, no matter which decision we take.

[She is more than prepared to throw down, but she's going to wait until the explicit order to do so. She just needs to ensure that people are protected should this go nastily.]

[azumods]

[...thank you for not just rushing him while he's being yelled at by-

...

"god and everyone" is a little inaccurate because god is currently neither in the room nor yelling at him

......

while he's being yelled at by the demon and everyone.]

[divinedescendant]

You know us well.

[She's—smiling, almost, but maybe the expression is too sad to properly be called that.]

Imagine we do turn our backs and leave you to your work. What becomes of us then? Certainly Team Galactic cannot continue to ignore and pretend when it comes to us.

[azumods]

I doubt they will. Master Cyrus certainly won't.

But my work right now is more important than handling this, and were it up to me, I wouldn't kill any of you. I will if you render it necessary, but it isn't something I would prefer to do.

[radiantflame]

[Here's her best Scary Special Inquisitor Voice:]

Have you ever killed before, boy? Are you prepared to take a life?

It's a tad more complicated than causing a Pokemon to faint.

[azumods]

It's never come down to that before. At least not for me. It's a barbaric act, and if I have any choice, then I won't.

But if you make it necessary, I will. For my world, and for Master Cyrus.

[greydients]

[Rey falls silent for a minute as her companions challenge Saturn, their first conversation playing around in her head.

'Make sure you defeat me, all right?'

It shouldn't have to come to this. But does she have a choice? Do any of them?]

If we defeat you, will you actually tell me how you really feel? About all of this?

[azumods]

I have.

It's hardly my fault that you choose not to believe me.

[hyruglyphics]

This did happen! This is happening! Continuing this path will only make it harder and harder, to give you choices you must live with!

[ And Zelda's... mad? Mad might be a good word, emotionally exhausted and mad and scared and just. Ugh. The Princess goes to one of the balls on her belt and summons out Miphanus, the Metagross slamming to the floor with a loud thud. It's not wild about fighting, of course, but it is resolute, as the one who has been with her the longest, and she can look over its "shoulder"... or well around it, really, given the size. ]

[azumods]

I'm willing to make whatever choices are necessary right now. Regardless of what I want, what matters is that I fight for my world. You understand.

[perfectselfie]

You don't really want to do that, do you?

[thunderwolf]

[Eustace had been quiet during the talks with Saturn. Truthfully, he found Saturn hard to understand during their first meeting- that he'd be so willing to give up what he had for Cyrus's goals. And now...is there anything left of Saturn himself? The curiosity about the group's progress? The feelings he still had for his now spiritless Pokemon? Is Saturn, follower of Cyrus, all that's left? It's very difficult to say after everything he's heard today. It's almost as if when Saturn said that he'd be giving it everything he had when they met again, he knew he'd have to be like this in order to do it.

But if one thing's for sure, Eustace more than welcomes the idea of battle. As always, to him, exchanging blows says a lot. And now that he's spent so much time with his Pokemon, he understands that he's sharing his feelings with them during battle as well. He gives Pup's head a reassuring stroke to prepare the Mightyena for what might potentially come.]

Steel yourself and keep a cool head, Pup.

[It's a lot to ask, he knows. Dialga's presence is like nothing they've felt yet. But they're not the only ones asking a lot of themselves today, are they?]

If you already knew how we'd take it, you should've saved your breath.

[enjoymyatelier]

God, well, count me in on getting in line to fight you, if Ignis, Camilla, and Rey don't get through to you.

[time to work on getting his Pokeballs together, as Huginn and Duibhne get ready for Action.]

Someone's got to deal with your commitment to rendering all life utterly meaningless.