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Eighth.
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. |
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At some point we need to get to the Hall of Origin.
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[...Are...Are you just winging it, are you hoping Cyrus will let you up if you ask politely, what are you doing here.]
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Other than the obvious - climbing, which is what we're doing - not really. If there's an easier way, we'd certainly love to hear it.
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how does she tell you this gently]
The Hall of Origin is only accessed through Spear Pillar. But it's not someplace that you just walk into.
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[Huh.]
So how do we get in, then?
[....look, Rey is nothing if not practical-]
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1/2
[Gosh, that was easy! She was thinking they'd need to break the door down, or something.
...
...she'll understand when they...get there.]
2/2
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[...You and Jake can get all stabby if you want, but have fun explaining that to poor Ven and getting away with it in front of Emmeryn, among several others.]
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What do you think is going to happen when we meet him, then? Genuinely curious, not trying to be rude.
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[She doesn't seem bothered, though; she's smiling a bit, even.]
There's a reason I asked if you were going to do what you're good at. I understand the Commanders settled with no casualties except their pride.
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[...well. He does.]
...I don't want you to think that we're setting out to kill him. Cyrus, that is. That's the worst case scenario and one I don't want to pursue.
[...]
...I've read his journal and he's obviously an exceptionally clever man. If we can talk him down, maybe he can do some good for Sinnoh and help you rebuild it, after sending us home. That's our real plan.
[.........]
I'm just not very good at explaining things.
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[And from the sound of it, it is. She toys a bit with her hair between her fingers, though.]
Somehow I doubt he'll agree to trying to help the region like that - rewriting the world isn't something you do when you think you have other options, after all.
But if you've got Commander Saturn writing you letters, perhaps you can work something out. I'm not giving up hope either way.
[...she kind of imagines they're letters full of crazy, the things you guys get from saturn, but. still.]
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...look as long as he isn't giving them holiday recommendations, she can deal.]
I know it's probably me being too optimistic - he's made it very clear that he's willing to die for his ideals. I just don't like to see that sort of ability wasted, I suppose.
That, or Saturn's rubbing off on me.
[...]
...which would be greatly concerning, so I hope that isn't the case.
[She might actually put a bit of levity into that one, though - it's draining, being too serious all the time.]
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Commander Saturn...tries. Very hard, at times. I've run across him a few times now, and he's not all bad.
[He's fucking insane? But he's not terrible.]
I understand, though. About Cyrus, and his talents. It would be a shame.
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[...
...that seems like a. weird thing to verbalize, but she kind of does? He writes really good letters.]
When he's behaving himself, anyway. That's why I like to think we could talk Cyrus down, but...well, it's best to be prepared for anything.
[Even if she knows Emmeryn will hit her with the 'I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed' if her and Jake do end up needing to get stabby.
...]
...if we don't make it back, or worse, end up working for Cyrus again...I do hope you continue what we're trying to do. Regardless of his power, I'm sure there's some way to defeat him.
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As for the rest, though...well. Her demeanor doesn't break, at any rate.]
Sweetheart, if you end up working for him again, I'll do whatever I can to ensure that you can be brought back to us. You won't be forgotten or left behind. I can promise you that.
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[Says the man who had commented someone should have made a road easier than climbing through the entire mountain]
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[Well. Things are Complicated as far as Cyrus goes.]
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I'm going to worry about you anyway, of course.
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