Fourth.

[azumods]

ENCOUNTER. Perhaps it's a good thing that the people of Floaroma Town seem to be exhibiting curiosity, because that's how you end up getting the tip. It isn't much, in the end - a question of where you're going from one of the ladies in the flower shop, followed by a brief look exchanged between them and a soft shrug. There's a mention of the Valley Windworks just across the way, a short walk from here, and something inside that will shave a week's time off of the journey south. Something that should put you right in the heart of Jubilife City, should you be able to gain access to it. It's likely clear that whatever would be blocking your access to such a thing likely isn't going to be pleasant; it doesn't take them long to tell you that Team Galactic has owned the Windworks for a while now, but at the same time it's only ever staffed with low-tier employees on the chain of command - the Commanders themselves haven't cared about it since they took over, and the grunts... Well, for one reason or another, they haven't been changing with the rest of the world. It likely seems obvious, when put that way - the people of the town haven't lied to you in the entire time you've been here (they aren't many things, but at the very least they are honest), and if they're correct about this, that's a week's less travel that will need to be done. Over a distance this large, every day counts; as such, you might as well check out the Windworks for whatever it will bring you. As it turns out, the townspeople were right about several things - the Valley Windworks is only a short walk away, surrounded by tall electricity-generating windmills that are turning away at a good clip in the windstreams traveling through the valley; upon entering it, it seems fair to say that it really is generally only staffed by grunts. In light of the changes the world has undergone, their appearance may be a bit jarring, a reminder of what the entire place used to look like - they're completely dead-eyed and listless, lacking any sort of individual initiative, and while they look up as you enter and their eyes track you as you move, they don't seem inclined to do much about you as a whole. Unfortunately, the ladies in the flower shop seem to have been mistaken about something - it seems that one of the Commanders, at least, seems to care very much about this place, given that she's waiting for you in the lobby. As with the others before her, she looks distinctive from the others in both her style of dress and the fact that she's still emotionally intact; she's small in stature, the heels on her boots doing nothing to help that fact, and she's incredibly slight in comparison to Jupiter. She also seems displeased about being here; the smile she offers in greeting is sharp, and it's not a pleasant look. More along the lines of baring teeth. "It's pretty rude of you guys to barge in here like you own the place. Not like I was expecting much from you people, anyway. I'm Commander Mars, and it's about time we met."

Comments

[azumods]

I'm not in the mood to play games with you guys, so let's just cut to the part where you tell me what you did, and maybe I'll let you leave.

[radiantflame]

We spoke with them for a bit.

[Well, she's not lying.]

[azumods]

Yeah, I'm aware of that. What did you do to them after that?

[anythingforyou]

Absolutely nothing. We wouldn't have been able to due to being exceedingly outmatched. They simply went back to their prior business once we had finished speaking to them; what happened afterward was out of our hands.

[Like, what, were you expecting us to take them hostage, we are entirely too weenie-hut juniors for that]

[azumods]

I'd be surprised if they couldn't handle the lot of you. That's what makes this so baffling. So what did you do.

[It's not a question anymore.]

[anythingforyou]

I'm telling you, absolutely nothing. Really, Saturn was the smarmiest individual alive to ever deal with, and while Jupiter was marginally better? I'm glad we simply let them go on their merry little way after all was said and done.

[Like? What are you expecting here, Mars.]

The only thing we did was talk to them. I'm not altogether certain what sort of answer you wish to hear, when that's the sole thing that happened.

[azumods]

It's nice you guys are sticking to one consistent story. You've had plenty of time to work it out since you met Jupiter. But surely you know "we didn't do anything, we swear" isn't going to fly.

[semistableman]

[At least Bucky has learned not to have a procession of Pokemon following him around, because it would mean he stands out even more than he already does.

That being said, Flora is the only one currently at his side, and she looks ready to take his request of knocking into him at the first sign of trouble seriously.]

We didn't do anything.

[azumods]

Wow, so convincing. I've totally seen the error of my ways and will absolutely let you roam around in here unchecked. Please forgive my terrible behavior.

[She says all of that in the most deadpan voice, all without that smile leaving her face.]

You guys aren't trying at all, are you?

[gekkaju]

...if they did have something to do with these guys' disappearance, what good would it be doing them to keep it a secret knowing they'd probably end up having to answer to you at some point anyway?

[Atsushi interjects, frowning.]

It's clear that everyone is just as surprised about this as you are.

[azumods]

So you don't know what happened either? And you're willing to blindly trust these guys? Yeah, that sounds like it'll end well.

[semistableman]

[He looks less than impressed.]

The truth tends to be unexciting.

[Jupiter bailing admittedly is pretty surprising, but eh.]

[azumods]

I can't believe you guys marched in here and decided the best course of action was to play dumb. This is probably the stupidest plan I've ever seen, so good job there, I guess.

[discutio]

Commander, I'm afraid we don't have the answers you want. We encountered Saturn briefly at Lake Valor some time ago, and Jupiter we spoke to back in Snowpoint more recently. The latter made reference to losing contact with the former, and by the sound of things you now infer you can't locate either of them.

We did nothing more than speak with them. Wherever they might be, I can speak for the group when I say we've no idea.

[azumods]

You expect me to believe that? Do you really think I'm going to buy that they just happened to vanish after talking to you? Try again.

[greydients]

It's the truth. What exactly do you think we did to them?

[azumods]

How should I know? They should've been able to handle themselves against any sort of threat, and yet they went missing. So quit messing around and tell me what happened.

[greydients]

[...

this isn't going to end well, is it.]

I swear to you, all we did was talk to them. Could they have been summoned by your master, without your knowledge?

[azumods]

What, you want to blame Master Cyrus for their disappearance?

[discutio]

Let me pose a different question: what is it you think we had the capacity to do to them? In the interest of transparency I can certainly say murder is not beneath me, but I've no desire to be involved in the death of misguided children under the guidance of a man with a god complex.

[azumods]

"Misguided children"? That's a new one. You can quit talking in circles at any time and just tell me what you did to them. Did you kill them?

[discutio]

We did nothing of the sort. As I said, all we did was speak to them. Whatever happened after those two incidents is something we know nothing about. In fact, I confess myself a bit confused to hear they've both vanished as well. Perhaps tey've returned to wherever your master might be.

[niceoppai]

Wait, they're gone!? But we wouldn't've even been able to scratch them!

[azumods]

Yeah, you shouldn't have been able to. Jupiter could destroy all of you and Saturn...

[...]

Well, he should be able to handle himself.

So what did you guys do?

[niceoppai]

They confronted us, we talked to 'em, they left saying stuff like we could never beat Cyrus and them. If you guys have whole actual gods locked up in your basement or wherever, I don't know what you think we could do, but whatever it was, we didn't do it.