azume | Fourth.

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."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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

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?

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.

You people sure are persistent, aren't you? I can admire that, I guess. I'm just surprised you guys actually thought this would work.

What, telling the truth? Seriously! I mean, the last thing Jupiter told us was that she'd come back and cause trouble for us again -- well, technically she only just said that we'd probably be seeing each other, but either way, there's no way those two ran off someplace to hide. But whatever happened, it wasn't us, and if it was us, how? Unless -- Wait. Were they kinda listless before disappearing into thin air?

No, they weren't. They were just as they always are.

So it's not what happened to the people we lost... Augh, this is so frustrating! We didn't even do anything, and obviously you're not gonna believe that we didn't do anything because we're your enemies and also really suspicious, and that's the only way we've seen people randomly drop off the face of whatever planet we're on! Unless one of your guys's basement gods did it, but I kinda doubt that considering the control you have over 'em.

I'm getting pretty sick of all of you claiming you had nothing to do with their disappearance, but fine, let's pretend for a minute that you really are innocent.

What do you think happened to Saturn and Jupiter?

I’m a fan of the Cynthia idea.

[He looks around the group, anybody else...?]

[I mean. Bucky is sure as fuck not throwing Saturn under the bus.]

She knows more about this place than all of us do combined.

Yeah, but on the other hand, why would she solo 'em and nab 'em if she spent years struggling on her own? Makes no sense to me.

I’m not sure half the things she does or claims to do make sense.

It's a possibility.

[Sorry, Cynthia]

[HOW ARE ALL OF YOU BETRAYING CYNTHIA LIKE THIS]

...the only thing I can think of is maybe they ran into some kind of Pokemon in the wild that gave them a lot of trouble.

Not possible. Jupiter's really strong and Saturn... can handle himself.

[She shrugs a bit.]

Besides, it's not like the wild Pokémon are capable of doing much anymore.

[...]

Did Jupiter tell you anything about her mission in the lakefront, before you lost contact with her?

[You know what, nobody cares about Jupiter, she's hoping? She...doesn't, really, but hey, she told them about something, it might actually lend more believably to the story.]

Yeah, she did. She was okay, though, and there wasn't any reason for me to think she'd just vanish.

[Well, that settles that, at least.]

...I may have to agree with Ignis, in that case. Cynthia is more than strong enough to make a viable threat, if she is still keeping track of us, but...

[Camilla shudders a bit at remembering the ice sculptures.]

...I simply wouldn't underestimate something that has control over ice.

[Yeah, that gets a shudder out of him, too.]

That's a possibility we can't ignore.

I've already rather pointed out my own theories; personally I find mere abandonment of their posts most likely if uncharacteristic.

Following that in likelihood is the idea that they ran afoul of Cynthia, and a close third is that they encountered one of this world's very upset deities.

They wouldn't leave. There's no way that'd happen. Neither of them would ever turn their backs on Master Cyrus.

If you're that certain, it would accomplish nothing to argue. In which case we should examine our other options as they stand.

Fine. I'll admit that it's possible that they ran into Cynthia.

[She sounds like she doesn't like it, though.]

Of the remaining choices I can think of, I agree that seems more likely. And to answer your presumable next question, we don't know where she is either. Our last direct contact with her was a long while ago, though I suspect she's keeping track of us somehow.

(no subject)

azumods - 2018-08-11 18:52 (UTC) - Expand