Test 5.

[azumods]

VERITY The journey this month has been easier on you in several ways; despite your losses, your numbers have been bolstered by the addition of two more this month, and unlike the unforgiving terrain on the way to Lake Acuity the routes to Lake Verity seem downright hospitable - they're straightforward, the climate is far more temperate, and there are patches of cheer visible here and there along the paths in the form of those brightly-colored flowers, even as you make your way toward the lakefront. But the lakefront itself is perhaps unsettlingly silent; a reminder, perhaps, of what you're here to do, of the importance of your task. You'll reach the lake sometime in the evening. The sun isn't down yet, but it looks as though it won't be too long before it dips below the horizon; there's more than enough light for you to see what the lake itself looks like, however - the water is still and clear, to an extent where you can see straight down to the bottom regardless of how deep it gets. There's no bridge or other way to cross over the lake that you can see, but once again there's a large rock formation rising out of the center of the lake and a good-sized opening in the stone, leading to what's likely a system of caverns further inside. Your exploration starts here, next to the crystal clear waters of Lake Verity; what happens next is up to you.

Comments

[azumods]

She and someone else went to fight Cyrus. Somewhere else, somewhere that wasn't...here.

[...He's not explaining this well, but bless him, he's trying.]

Another...dimension, another world. They went after him. He left that place eventually.

They didn't.

[perfectselfie]

[Aya is quiet for a long moment. When she tries to say something the first time, her voice cracks. She swallows hard, giving her Pokemon a hug before carefully setting her down, then putting her back in her ball. Once that's done, she offers Lucas a hug.]

...that's awful. I'm so sorry.

[azumods]

She was a girl from the next town over. She...worked with Professor Rowan, like me. I helped her get started on her journey.

[perfectselfie]

She must have been a good friend of yours. I'm so sorry about what happened to her.

[azumods]

...She was something, yeah.

[...He does not know how to quantify that.]

[perfectselfie]

She sounds like it.

[hyruglyphics]

[ Which would mean that they lost. Zelda frowns at that and while her brain is buzzing for something to search out here in terms of clarifying the facts, she does tighten the grip on her hand here, inclining her head somewhat. ]

The other person must be truly exceptional, to have gone along into that world with Cynthia.

[azumods]

She... Like I said, I wasn't there.

[also twelve, also about as good at feelings as being twelve would imply.]

[hyruglyphics]

[ To be entrusted would that would imply... what? Zelda hums a little and, ]

Even so, from all of the people we have seen and met so far, to have been selected for that task, ... Well, over the gym leaders, it does imply a great deal of talent to have been so entrusted.

[ It's unethical, of course. But maybe it was also the girl's destiny...? Zelda doesn't necessarily rationalize one way or another, but even if she can't shake the niggle of why wouldn't Cynthia handle it personally, that this girl was entrusted implies she was/is something special . . . right? ]