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]

If that's how you think it's best. I won't argue, it's how we used to do things around here before everything changed. I'd...like it, but we don't have to.

[...Anyway.]

And yeah, I do. I didn't know what it'd be like in here, so I brought a lot of supplies for both me and the Guardian if we needed it.

[heritrix]

[Honestly, she should probably think of other ways given how this cave effects their pokemon, but she would love to have a battle. That said, something Lucas says brings a question to mind.]

You said you'd been here for a little while, right? I'm surprised you haven't already treated it.

[But there has to be an explanation for that, so...]

That must mean there's something preventing you from reaching it, right? Another pokemon protecting it, maybe... Or maybe even the strange effect this cave is having on our partners.

[azumods]

I don't think it's another Pokémon. I think it's Mesprit itself - I don't know what it's doing, but there's something keeping me from getting to it.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

Does it have something to do with why our Pokemon are suddenly acting depressed?

[At this point, Nin seems to just give up on flying and land on Sena's head where Shell was resting before, as if to illustrate his point.]

[azumods]

I don't know. Maybe?

[heritrix]

Could you elaborate? It might give me an idea for what we can do to show you we're ready.

[Since she imagines that would be part of what they need to prove here, among other factors.]

[azumods]

It seems like a barrier of some sort. It's not something that can be broken by Pokémon, though, we've tried that.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

Um...does it really need to be broken to pass through it?

[Sena, what are you getting at.

Maybe Rin might pick up on what he's suggesting, since she was all excited about the potential for it before. The answer's right in front of her, after all.]

[heritrix]

You're thinking of teleporting, right?

[As nice as that would be, Rin shakes her head.]

I doubt that would work...

[heritrix]

A barrier...

[That's very interesting to her. Back in her world, she knows how to create barrier-like spells herself, so this gives her a few ideas.]

All three of the Lake Guardians are powerful Psychic-type pokemon, yes? I imagine your conclusion is the correct one. The barrier is probably Mesprit's own doing, as a means to protect itself. But nothing negative happens to you when you get close to it?

[azumods]

Nothing happens at all.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

So...as long as we don't touch it, we'll probably be fine?

[azumods]

It hasn't bothered me to touch it, I just can't get through it.

[heritrix]

In that case, I can come up with two possibilities. The first is that there's no barrier at all, but a powerful illusion. The second is that the barrier can only be unlocked from within, or requires a "key", if you will. Only those who meet certain conditions can enter. I heard someone say Mesprit is a deity that deals with emotions, so it could have something to do with sensing those.

The barrier could be a variety of other things, but those are my best bets.

[azumods]

The barrier can be touched, just not passed through - it doesn't hurt at all, it's just something that's there. I guess it would hurt if I tried to hit it hard enough, but that seems like a bad idea...

[...Right.]

Emotions might...work, though. It would keep Team Galactic out? Because they're not getting better.

[heritrix]

[Rin nods, snapping her fingers.]

Exactly! And it would explain why you're having difficulty getting through as well. That's no offense to you—you clearly are improving. But you and your pokemon... You have feelings, but you don't feel wholly yourself yet either, right?

[azumods]

[Oh, that's... His gaze kind of darts a bit.]

...Yeah.

[heritrix]

[Whatever Rin was going to say next gets aborted when she next opens her mouth. She wasn't even planning on saying it, the words just tumblr out on their own.]

—don't worry, you'll get there. You're already doing really well, you know? You're pretty impressive for staying here as long as you have, ceaselessly trying. How much you care shows.

[azumods]

...I'm doing my best. It's been a weird time since all of this started.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

I was, um...

[He blinks.]

So...because it's not a real barrier, trying to teleport past it wouldn't work?

[Damn. He thought it'd be worth a shot, though.]

If that's the case, then, um...what kind of requirements do you think Mespirit would wanna see?

[azumods]

I've tried teleportation too. It doesn't work.

[...it was no one's idea of a good time.]

I don't know what sort of requirements there are, though. Not specifically?

[heritrix]

Well... Lucas is an earnest boy, and he genuinely seems to want to help Mesprit, so it has to be more than good intentions and empathy. It's hard to say until we try.

[But we need to prove ourselves to Lucas first, SO. Rock and a hard place.]

The bonds we have with our pokemon might be a good place to start, though. [—OH.] As a creature of emotion, that might resonate strongly with it.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

Oh, um...

[Darn. It was a Try. But maybe Rin's onto something?]

But it's gotta be more than just regular emotions, right? The bond with our Pokemon...and other feelings like that...if it's something that simple, then maybe those Commanders would have gotten through, right? They still feel those things.

[niceoppai]

Lucas's emotions aren't all the way back, he said so himself, but you're right. But Jupiter treated her Pokémon like tools, and while Saturn was better at it, he was trying not to be because it hurt too much. We bonded with ours.

[swiftasacoursingkawa]

What about Mars?

[No really, what about her? Did they even see her Pokemon?]

You can't say she wasn't passionate about it, and, um...did we ever actually see her Pokemon, actually...? I mean, it was probably wiped too, but still...