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]

[Once things have quieted down a little (in no small part because Mars has stopped yelling), Mars takes a moment to look around at everyone. The smile's been wiped off her face, but her expression's still nowhere near pleasant.]

So, we've verified that you probably had nothing to do with Saturn and Jupiter's disappearances. I'm willing to let that go for now.

But you've been very vague about what it is you guys are trying to accomplish. So what is it you guys are trying to do?

[discutio]

I don't think it much of a secret at this point, by any means.

We seek to restore this world's will and spirit. To that end we've been directed to the three lake guardians for help.

[azumods]

[For a moment, Mars just sort of stares, like it's taking her a bit to understand what he's saying.]

Why? Master Cyrus' vision for this world is flawless, he's created a world without strife, without any meaningless conflict. He's succeeded in making this world a better place, and you'd undo all of that? Why? What reason could you possibly have?

[anythingforyou]

Because the people of this world are still suffering. They simply don't have the emotional capacity, or the methods to deal with that sort of suffering anymore.

[Camilla's tone isn't cold when she says that much, but it's quite serious.]

...Your organization has taken people from their families, for the sake of this vision of betterment. They've taken friends away from friends, and the pain from that doesn't simply disappear when you take away something's spirit.

[azumods]

You're making it sound like their individual lives matter more than the big picture. No matter what you do, someone's always going to be unhappy. Sacrifices have to be made, that's just the way things are.

[radiantflame]

How can this world be flawless, then? If someone still suffers, then this world is not without strife, and you have failed.

[azumods]

Does that make the way things were any better? Absolutely not. Master Cyrus' vision is the best things are going to get.

[radiantflame]

I see. You, and Cyrus, are both content to be failures, then?

[anythingforyou]

That's because it does.

[Is it a selfish way of looking at stuff? Most likely.]

A 'peace' like this...it's only stagnation, that doesn't do anything to address the problem at hand. It's as if you've simply decided to fill up an entire hourglass with sand because one side was left with nothing when you tipped it over; all you've done is removed any purpose from it in a short sighted manner. Certainly, not every single person or Pokemon will be happy, but taking away their all of their happiness and their opportunity to even work toward happiness is unfathomably cruel.

[azumods]

Is it really, though? They don't feel anything. It's not like they're in pain or suffering. How is that being cruel to them? They still live, they still exist. We've just taken out a few things. No one can be happy, but that's a fair trade for no one ever being in pain again.

[anythingforyou]

[Ah, that gets Camilla's look to narrow just a bit.]

It absolutely is. Feeling absolutely nothing at all...it's the biggest curse you could have inflicted upon this place. The world itself--all worlds, truly--they can't exist without both happiness and pain on the same coin. One can't exist without the other, and if you must take the coin out entirely to achieve a so-called peace...then it isn't worth it and it never will be.

[...]

The only thing that's been done is that you've made this world lose the beauty and camaraderie that it once had...really, this world sounds as if it was wonderfully admirable, before all of this happened.

[semistableman]

Not to mention the Pokemon who have been injured, tortured, all in the name of a perfect world. It’d be horrible enough if they were like the animals of my world, but they can understand what’s happening to them. They can explain and understand their own pain.

[azumods]

Again, sacrifices have to be made. It's not like things were any better before.

[voluptugust]

Before there was passion! Drama! Excitement and joy. A colorful canvas, beautiful in every mismatched splotch of paint, not a depressing smear of grey.

Are you not driven by passion yourself? You seem rather vibrant to me.

[azumods]

I'm still like this because Master Cyrus needs me to be. I'll gladly join the others when he's ready for me to. I believe in this world he's created - I can't imagine anything that would be better.

[semistableman]

Was it worth it? Flora [he motions to the skiddo at his side] has made it clear to me this world can’t last, that “spirit” us how things should be. As has Uxie.

[Just casually namedropping a god.]

[discutio]

[Ignis was patient as he answered, voice even without any confrontation to it. His response was as honest as it had been with Saturn, entirely heartfelt.]

Suffering and happiness are no less than two sides of a single coin, Commander. It's very true that it would seem a life without possibility of pain or sadness would seem ideal for those who have lived through dire times or trying circumstances. But to simply erase such things is to erase the very point of human existence.

Life, dreams, hope...all of them stem from the very spirit Cyrus has sought to extinguish. Do they end in pain? Yes, oftentimes--but that does not mean the right answer is to feel nothing at all. Can you truly say that the hollow lives this world has under Cyrus' directive would be worth living at all?

We wish for this world to live, Commander. And to do so wholeheartedly, for even should living bring pain it also carries with it reasons to continue forth, every single day.

[perfectselfie]

[That was beautiful and Aya is tearing up a little bit while also giving a bright smile. She knows he can't see that but he can hear her applause.]

[azumods]

You're looking at it all wrong. Sure, some individuals are going to agree with you, that in the end having all of that outweighs any pain you may suffer through. But what about those that don't agree with you? What about those that have been beaten down again and again and again, who haven't had the opportunity to experience the better parts of "living"? Is it fair to leave them to suffer while others get to be happy?

What Master Cyrus has done eliminates suffering like that. It eliminates conflict and keeps people and Pokémon alike from being hurt.

[gekkaju]

Your team may all agree with this idea, but how do you know that there are even that many others out there who would agree? Their spirit was taken away regardless. No one else ever had any choice. No one else ever had the opportunity to say anything.

And now they can't even if they wanted to, not when their will to do much of anything doesn't exist anymore.

[azumods]

What would you do then, huh? Poll everyone and ask them whether they want something like this or not?

Master Cyrus has done what this world needs. There certainly are those that don't agree with it, and they're free to be wrong. But this is necessary.

[discutio]

Commander, I admit I know nothing of you and I also confess I have been very fortunate for a fair amount of my own life. But I don't think you truly understand the kind of pain of which you speak.

[Calmly, he adjusted his sunglasses.]

If there are those so lost as to know naught but suffering, is it right to remove all else from those who could and would offer their hands to help them? Cyrus has taken the choice away entirely and instead left everyone to languish in this empty life in which nothing ever happens, positive or negative.

[azumods]

You're under the impression that people will be kind to others. You're assuming that they will help those around them, that they won't turn a blind eye or lash out. You're ignoring that sometimes people are just awful. Sometimes things don't get any better.

Master Cyrus has removed all of that. The positive, yes, but also all of that negativity. And when you look at it, there was a lot of negativity in the world. It's not like the people are dead. They just don't have to deal with anything like that anymore.

[enjoymyatelier]

I mean, if you’re so concerned about those sorts people you could always put the effort into seeking out the people who are suffering and finding ways to actually help them instead of trying to make everyone equally passionless and spiritually dead.

[azumods]

Master Cyrus decided on this course of action. Helping individuals is a nice idea, but it's not always possible. This is the best way to fix things.