Test 4.

[azumods]

KNOWLEDGE Compared to the frigid chamber you've just left, the cavern you enter now is warm. It isn't difficult to see why; while there's still a fair amount of space in here, it's far smaller, and there's a source of heat and light in here - a small fire going near a corner of the room, tucked away behind the wall and difficult to see as you enter, but fairly obvious once you're inside, the light from the flames bouncing off the corner of the chamber and making it decidely easier to see. There thankfully aren't any more of Froslass' "sculptures" in here; there is, however, a person. Candice is in the corner near the fire, pressed back against the wall and watching you as you enter; it's likely obvious from the start that there's something wrong with her, though it's difficult to say what just from looking at her. Her eyes aren't fixed in the same sort of dull, blank stare that the people affected by Team Galactic tend to display, but at the same time, they look viscerally wrong - it's alert but it's empty and almost completely unfocused, as though she's taking in information and she's processing it, but she's not actually seeing any of it. It's unsettling, but she's still watching you, and she's holding something close to her chest as she does so; she's got the thick, blue sweater untied from around her waist, and she's holding it bundled in her arms like she's trying to protect it. Her eyes don't come into focus, even as she addresses you. "I told you that you aren't welcome here. You need to leave. Now." Her gaze darts as she speaks, like she's trying to take in as much as she can, even if she doesn't seem to be registering any of it properly; her expression is hard. Cold. What happens now is up to you.

Comments

[azumods]

I'm fine.

[She does not seem particularly fine but you know what, she's fine.]

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

You...sure about that?

[Hesitation.]

I mean, you were gone for a pretty long time, right? Your gym's all abandoned and your Glaceon was worried about you, so...Aren't you getting worn out?

[azumods]

I said, I'm fine.

[Lord.]

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

[Frown. Okay, maybe he can kinda see why Michael and the others were getting annoyed with him earlier. Maybe.]

Just b-because you're fine doesn't mean we can't help you-!

[azumods]

I don't need your help - nothing you offer is going to make up for any of this.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

For...any of what?

[Is...Candice talking about herself right now? Or...]

[azumods]

Anything that's been done! You know why you're here, don't you?

[It's sharp, despite the fact that she's so unfocused and unsteady.]

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

Because of what Team Galactic did, right?

[It all comes back to them, doesn't it?]

I mean...if they did something on that huge of a scale...then a small group like us, of course we can't make up for everything! Something like all this, it'll take more than one person or one team to make things right again, isn't it?! But...

[He can't help but think back to when he first started high school. How, in the end, he himself ended up making the choice to stay with the Devil Bats...how everything started from that one decision. If he hadn't decided then to continue going forward...]

If we don't start anything, we can't finish anything! How do you expect to make up for anything if we don't even try?!

[azumods]

[...]

I don't expect you to do anything but leave this place.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

...We're not leaving.

[His face hardens to a glare.]

Not until you're better. Both of you.

[He's not entirely sure if he's addressing Candice or the guardian, but he wants to include both of them. He really does.]

[divinedescendant]

[gently, softly]

You are right. Pain like this is not simply made up for or undone by any means. A whole world has been hurt. Lives have been lost. Of course there is no way to simply make up for that loss and call it all even.

What is left is for us to move forward, in whatever ways we can. That is what we are here for. The blood shed from a wound does not matter any less because it has been healed, but that is no reason to leave it open and bleeding.

[azumods]

If you understand, then you should also understand that you need to go. There's nothing for you here.

[divinedescendant]

It is as I said—We wish to offer aid so the wound might begin to heal, and this world and us in it may begin to move forward. This is a dire duty you hold, so I understand your mistrust. The risk is so great, isn't it?

[redbellion]

Candice... We can't take back everything that Galactic's already done, but we can stop them from doing more harm. It hasn't exactly been easy, because we've all started out with nothing.

[ keith isn't exactly the best at diplomacy, but what he's good at is being honest. and he's making a conscious effort to keep his temper in check, now, as he speaks. ]

But we need to try. We can't just sit back and accept everything that's happened here, and face the reality that this might spread to our own worlds, too. We've made progress, even if it's small, and I think--I know we can do more.

[azumods]

[...]

Where are you from? You're not one of the ones from Veilstone City.

[redbellion]

I arrived here recently with another person from our group. [ he gestures towards noctis. ] We've only been here for around three weeks, now, but we've both been contributing as best as we can.

[omissions]

You don't look fine. You look sick.


[Like, why are you even dressed like that in an ice town to begin with...]

[azumods]

[...I mean, that's a good question.]

I'm not sick.

[omissions]

Your eyes are unfocused. When was the last time you slept or ate anything?

[azumods]

I can do that once all of you are gone. There's nothing for you here, you need to leave.

[omissions]

Why? What harm is it going to bring, having us here to help you?

[azumods]

...I don't need your help.

[omissions]

[For once, Ari is a little annoyed.]

You're curled up in a corner of a cave with only a small fire as a source of warmth, running on little sleep and food, with a presumably injured Pokemon that you are refusing to let us provide medical treatment for. Are you sure you don't need help? There's being paranoid of strangers, and then there's just being obstinate.

[azumods]

You don't know anything about this.

[omissions]

Then talk to us. Simply telling us to go away doesn't help anyone, least of all you. If you had provided a compelling argument that shows you do in fact know what you're doing, then we could have simply given you the berries and potions for Uxie and left, because then we'd trust that you do have it under control.

But as it is, it's... it's just sad, seeing someone in this state. It's no wonder Aya is upset.