azume | Test 5.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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?

Nothing happens at all.

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

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

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.

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.

[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?

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

...Yeah.

[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.

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

I can imagine... No. I probably have no idea what you've gone through, actually. We don't remember what we were like when we were under Team Galactic's control.

[Which she thinks is for the best, even if a part of her wonders. But at the same time, it means she can't understand even half of Lucas's struggles over the last several years.]

But I'd like to see you continue to improve, all the same. Besides yourself, have you noticed any differences in your pokemon?

Yeah, actually. Not...as much as you guys, but things are different for them too.

Do they like to help you with your research?

Definitely - it involves traveling all over the region, usually. So they like going with me.

They must be really familiar with the area, then. That's great! I'd love to meet them.

[Waving the Pokedex in her hand, she hums.]

I was thinking one way we could do things is you can pick one or two people you want to battle, but then for the rest, we could just have our pokemon get to know each other.

In this scenario, the important part about battling in this world is coming to understand one another, right? But we don't have to fight for that to happen. So long as our pokemon can interact, they can learn about each other just by talking. I'm sure they'd love to share the things they've seen, and what kind of adventures they've had.

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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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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...

That's the thing. No idea with her... man, now what else is there?

Don't forget, too, their pokemon were just as spiritless as the ones out in the wild. It might take all of them together; the trainer and their whole team.

Could be. Since ours have their feelings...

We won't know until we try, right?