Eighth.

[azumods]

ENCOUNTER. It's been days since you were brought here. Or, at least, you think it's been days; even if it's not something you're necessarily unfamiliar with, the stagnation of time and space are likely taking a toll, as is the fact that it's impossible to become spatially oriented in this place. The rotation of the walls to become ground beneath your feet, the floating patches of land with their bizarre floral biology, the pools of water flowing silently and horizontally directly above your heads... It's all a bit much to take in, a bit much to acquaint yourselves with. Perhaps it isn't meant for you to become acquainted with at all. The massive creature here with you has been becoming bolder over the last few hours; it's difficult to tell what's gotten into it, but its path through the shadows has been bringing it closer. Once in a while a sleek, sharply-spiked body can be seen twisting its way through the darkness; sometimes long, black tendrils with wicked-looking red tips are seen cutting through the shadows, each of them far larger than you are, before disappearing again into nothingness. It seems to fade in and out with the contours of the abyss; sometimes it disappears entirely, only to reappear so close to the patches of land you've taken to standing on that it feels liable to collide with them, that it seems almost like you can reach out and touch it if you wanted to. Whatever it is, your Pokémon don't like it. You can tell just by being in its presence that it's one of the old ones, one of those whose memories span far longer than most of you can comprehend - one that's always been, since the creation of the world. An ancient and powerful entity, and there comes a point on one of those passes that's too close for comfort that it doesn't pull away and disappear again. Instead it stays, and its head breaches the darkness, and it finally lets you see it. It's massive, alarmingly so, in the same way that Dialga and Palkia were massive - not just in physical size, but in the way that something about being in its presence makes you feel very, very small. Its body is long and graceful in a way that's almost repulsive; it doesn't set down anywhere near you, or anywhere at all; instead, it simply is, hovering before you in a way that commands the stagnant, empty space before you, floating over the abyss like it was meant to be in it, like it's been here for longer than you likely care to imagine. Those long black tendrils ripple a little as they stream out behind it; its body seems to glimmer in the darkness as it watches you from behind bright, red eyes. For the time being, it doesn't seem about to attack; just the same, it's watching you very, very closely. What happens from here is, evidently, your call.

Comments

[anythingforyou]

[...Man, Camilla is never going to get used to seeing those gods up close and personal. She's at least kind of thankful that she only has Melady out with her--knowing her luck, Travant would likely force both himself and Arion running and they'd be liable to pull a goddamn Duma.

Considering the fact that Melady seems to have taken to hiding behind Camilla, the balloon practically shaking under the weight of the creature's gaze, it's probably a good thing that it's just them and the creature.

Well, alright, let's. Try not to be too fearful here, someone's gotta at least try to present something of a front.]

Giratina...if we're not mistaken? [Camilla looks up at the creature and dear gods this was a mistake.] ...I'm surprised that you decided to allow us to see you, at all.

[She's just gonna try to be calm here, but. Dear gods, this is something.

Melady, meanwhile, is just kind of repeating the same mantra over and over again--Please don't hurt us, please don't hurt us--though she does her best to stay quiet to. Not really be heard, because good god.]

[discutio]

[ohhhh he HATES this]

[Ignis didn't say anything, but stayed close to Camilla's side.]

[gekkaju]

[Atsushi is quiet as well, near Camilla. He’s been...honestly afraid this whole time. Their experience with Darkrai was really jarring for him in ways he still hasn’t gotten over, so he’s not sure what to expect here.

He just hopes they’ll be okay this time.]

[azumods]

[For what it's worth, it doesn't attack.

It just stares, that aura of pressure continuing to radiate from it in a manner that's less harsh than the others but still present, red eyes almost seeming to see through the group in addition to simply looking at them; there are no red chains present on it, it doesn't seem tortured in the way that Dialga and Palkia did, and perhaps that's why it doesn't seem inclined to scream, to roar at them in a similar sort of way.

It breathes, and whether it understands or not is a little difficult to say, but one thing is certain and that's that you have its attention for the time being, Camilla.]

[eudaimonikos]

[As Jane Doe starts to try to merge with Michael's shadow on the ground, her trainer turns to look up at Giratina.

It's not that he's immune to the aura these gods give off. He's actually far, far more susceptible than he likes to admit. He can't pretend to be anywhere near as powerful as them, especially like this, but they're at least of similar age ranges, right? Same as any of the people he's known all his life. They shouldn't make him feel small. The fact that they do is sort of infuriating.

Especially here. All his human friends are just so easy to kill.

Eleanor's words are the ones he always comes back to. It made you feel small, so you lashed out. She was right about him, and also about how useless that had been. Getting angry right off the bat won't help.]

Hi! [Michael grins, wide and absolutely dead behind the eyes, and lifts his hand in a wave. Not getting defensive doesn't mean he has to admit weakness.] What's up?

[hyruglyphics]

Y-yes, greetings!

[ She gets one false start but then puts her hands into the familiar prayer position. And just...

Let's follow Michael's more casual example this time. ]

[azumods]

[...You know, of all the things one would expect an actual eldritchy thing to respond to, it seems casual approaches do strangely well in this world; Big Blinky, at least, never seemed to mind it, and this thing is...

Well, it's surprisingly not eating anybody's face just yet, and that's got to count for something.

That said, it tilts its head a little bit at the greeting, and it seems to get something of a rumbling noise in response - sure, to the Pokémon it likely sounds like something that crawled out of R'lyeh crossed with the Black Speech of Mordor, but thankfully that's probably just sort of indecipherable to most people.]

[takestheblame]

[For a moment Kiryu stares forward, very uneasy. This is not okay. He doesn't really want to be here. But it's not like they have a choice.

And he sure isn't going to want to get on this Pokemon's bad side. Kiryu bows his head]

Please forgive us for the intrusion.

[azumods]

[Oh, that's.

That's going to get a lot of staring, really. Not any more aggressive or intimidating than it already was (admittedly, this thing doesn't seem to do anything but intimidating, but that's a story for another day) but just. Observing, and noticing, and not seeming to "say" anything in response.

You do have its attention, however, for better or worse.]

[semistableman]

[For the most part, Bucky has done his best to not freeze up in front of the Pokemon gods. Especially the guardians, who have been a mixture of very cute and... Uxie. It hasn't always worked, but it especially isn't working now.

So he just sort of. Stares.

At least other people are trying the talking thing, because he can't do that right now.]

[niceoppai]

This is seriously freaking me out. What d'you think it wants?

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

[Sena is...really not good with this kind of place. At all. When the god decides to actually show itself in front of them, he's kinda sorta...stuck. In a tree. Because the world suddenly changed perspective on him, you know, and his brain refuses to believe that just because the ground suddenly rotated ninety degrees on its axis doesn't mean he'll stay on it, because physics just doesn't work like that.

So here Sena is, clinging onto a tree that's growing sideways out of a vertically hanging strip of land, staring up at the black, tendrilly abyss that is Giratina. Vee's running around the base of said tree, oblivious to the fact that she's currently defying physics and running up and down what's basically a wall because sena you're up in a tree this is fun you're funny. Monta's casually lounging on its trunk (or trying to, having the literal embodiment of antimatter showing up to ruin your day kinda ruins one's compusure), and Portus and the bugs are hovering around in various states of unease.

Except for Shell, apparently, but who even knows what Shell is thinking these days.

It does, however, seem to be giving Sena a glance that, if it could speak, would clearly convey a single word:

Pussy.]


Hi...ieaah...

[Sena, meanwhile, just wants to duck into the tree's brambly depths and hide forever. Why. Why all of this.]

S-Sorry! For, uh, intruding! [Please don't eat them. They're not tasty. Even if Dawn's Infernape may have been delicious.]

[eudaimonikos]

[oh my god]

Sena, get down from there. [Michael says under his breath without looking away from Giratina.]

[azumods]

[For what it's worth, it doesn't seem inclined to eat you. For the time being. It's simply staring into the depths of your soul and possibly trying to figure out if you'd be delicious, granted, but it's not seeming inclined to attack.

That said, it doesn't seem to mind what it's seeing in terms of observation; you sure are a person, and you sure are here, and you sure are nervous, and you sure are a lot of things that it's taking in silently - but don't worry, it's not eating you.]

[thunderwolf]

[This was an inevitable encounter, but it's still pretty difficult to truly prepare oneself for meeting a deity like this. Somehow, Giratina's presence puts Eustace even more on edge than the encounter with Darkrai. Maybe it's the fact that they've been stuck in its territory for days, the knowledge that they're dealing with an entity that was banished by the Creator, or the knowledge that this Pokemon was the cause of a young girl's death.

Still, Eustace steadies himself like he had with the other deities they'd come across. Rose, who had previously been curious about those tendril's she'd seen along the way, no longer wants anything to do with this and is clinging onto Eustace for dear life. He puts an arm around her to try to calm her down.]

Hold on. You're strong, Rose.

[He then looks back up at Giratina- what would be a primal beast of incredible dark power in his world. He's not sure how this is going to go, but they've made it this far, right?]

You've been watching us, right? [...] That the reason you didn't reveal yourself sooner?

[He wonders if this one even talks.]

[azumods]

[That would depend on your definition of "talking."

It's similar to the effect Palkia had on Duma, if anything - deep noises and rumbles that likely translate to Pokémon minds as the godawful bastard child of R'lyehian and some sort of Black Speech, something ancient and incomprehensible - but the question does get acknowledgement out of it, indecipherable though it may be.

There are clearly no red chains on it, it isn't being tortured in any way, and that's likely why it doesn't just roar at you; at the very least, though, there are deep sounds and mild headtilting, but mostly it's just a lot of staring. Observing.]

[divinedescendant]

[mmm don't like that

This time she has to hesitate and steel herself, one slow breath in as she straightens and makes certain she can maintain that composure; Audhulma, unsteady at her side, tries to mirror her, but folds her own hands in front of her while Emmeryn still holds Manaphy's egg in her arms.

Despite all this (and despite Audhulma's soft trill of protest), Emmeryn steps forward, ever willing to put herself between the others and danger. Steady, steady. An ancient pact with a god flows with the blood in her veins; she should know reverence, but not fear. Even if she has not stood as queen in what feels like so long, she will always be exalt.]

Giratina. [She nods her head low, respectful.] Forgive us; we had not intended to trespass upon your territory. My name is Emmeryn. We mean you no ill intention.

[azumods]

[While Emmeryn may have some idea what to do with this, as far as Giratina goes it seems that there's a definite sense that this is...new.

It's getting you a lot of staring, Emmeryn - a lot of staring and some mild headtilting, as though it's trying to sort out what it's supposed to make of this. Any of this.

The effect is likely a little weird, given the fact that it seems to be trying to look directly into your soul or something for how intense it is about it, but so it goes, really.]

[azumods]

[And somewhere among all the discussion, all the fear and the pressure and the sounds that Giratina is making and its increasing agitation, a voice rings out, clear and firm - ]

That's enough, sweetheart.

[it's hard to tell who it's addressed to - for all anyone knows, it could be addressed to Ignis trying very hard to inform an Eldritch horror that he's disappointed in it and it needs to go to its room to think about what it's done - but it seems to get Giratina's attention, at any rate; Cynthia is standing a short distance away, on one of those rocky outcroppings hovering over nothing, and she'll reach a hand out gently over the abyss. Giratina doesn't need to go far to reach her; it simply shifts positioning a bit, encouraging her to lay her hand gently on its head somewhat like a cat seeking affection.

...It's massive, and it looks a little like it's going to knock her over, but for the time being it's managing to not do that.

Cynthia herself seems...tired, and out of breath as though she straight-up sprinted here; who knows, maybe she did. But the fact remains that she's mildly stressed-out seeming but she's here, and it's been a while since she's seen you last, and...honestly, she's somewhat relieved to know that you aren't all dead. Her next words are addressed, again, to Giratina, though she definitely does seem aware that you're all there - how could she not be?]

You're doing well. Just leave them be.

[She'll glance over at the group, then, though it isn't long before she's returned her gaze to Giratina, regardless of her words clearly being aimed at you.]

We have a lot to talk about.

[discutio]

To say the least.

[Strained as that was...at least he wasn't shouting.]

You seem to be well acquainted with our new friend here, Cynthia.

[ventulus]

[ -- Wait, what? ]

...Cynthia?

[ Did she just arrive? How is she able to have Giratina so...domesticated? ]

You were here too?

[anythingforyou]

[...Ah, there go her hackles, raised to the ceiling. Melady seems at least to be restraining some kind of reaction within Camilla, at least, considering the tight hold on her waist still persists as the Drifblim peeks over to see Cynthia, but...]

...This one's under your jurisdiction, then. Or perhaps simply an ally.

[You know. It's a start, and there's really no bite in her tone, at least.]

[takestheblame]

An explanation about what's going on right now would be a good start.

[Damn right there's a lot to talk about]

[azumods]

[...Okay, so. This is a shitshow all around, isn't it, good lord. She's still petting Giratina a little, the motion pensive.]

I suppose the question now is where you're going from here. I understand your determination to leave, but where were you? Was there a concrete plan, or were you planning on doing...well, what you're good at, I suppose?

[She doesn't sound like she thinks "what you're good at" is a bad thing or an insult or anything, it just kind of...is what it is, you guys are kind of the Yolo Brigade.]

[takestheblame]

Do you have a suggestion?

[That isn't not intervening, he figures. But yeah, Kiryu's willing to listen if she has an idea or two]

[azumods]

[And after the roughest parts of this are over, Cynthia shifts a little bit; she's still got her hand on Giratina's head - and Giratina, for its part, has been content to just observe all that's been happening (it kind of stares into everyone's souls a lot honestly) - and when she shifts a little it's to lean up against it a little bit.]

I'll speak to Giratina about putting you back where you came from; it may take some convincing, but I'm sure that everything will work out, one way or another.

[...]

I may not be able to support you in all the ways that you would like, but I'll do what I can to get you into the Hall of Origin. For the time being, rest up - I can heal any of your Pokémon that need it, and you can start out again in the morning. I know this place is disconcerting, but it's safe. Nothing will harm you here, I promise.