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Fifth.
ENCOUNTER. It's taken some discussion on the part of the elders of the town, but it seems that a decision has been made regarding allowing the lot of you to see the Celestic Ruins; it's worthwhile, they think, even if they believe your overall mission to be dangerous to the point of recklessness - after all, those that oppose Team Galactic, as a rule, do not succeed. But every rule has its exceptions, and the evidence stands strongly in favor of the notion that you may be the exception to this one; the good you've done for the region is undeniable, and they wouldn't be capable of passing this sort of decision at all were it not for you. As such, your patience will be rewarded today; the person who leads you into the place late this morning beckons you inside with the promise of giving you the knowledge they have regarding the legends, information that may help you on your journey from here on out. The ruins are massive and cavernous, the walls of the cave reinforced with heavy stone columns surrounding large mural depictions of the various legends of Sinnoh; most are foreign to you, though there are some that are not (flowers springing up to cover a barren valley, a massive creature with bright cores pulling the landmasses of the world into place with ropes wrapped around its arms) - however, what's most pressing is the depiction in the center, three vague beings of light surrounding another, larger entity, all of it very nondescript and yet seeming to depict a very specific event despite its simplicity. This, your guide explains, is the beginning of the world. In the beginning there was the Creator, and from the Creator came all things - the rulers of Time and Space, followed by the Lake Guardians to govern over all people, humans and Pokémon alike. In their arrogance, Team Galactic believed that they could take control of those Legendary Pokémon responsible for all life, and use them for their own means. Not to change the world as they lived in it, but rather to create a new universe altogether. During this lesson, life goes on in the town just outside the ruins; people and Pokémon alike can be heard going about their day. Perhaps you'll realize it before your guide stops speaking; perhaps it won't be until there's a lull in the explanation. Either way, it will soon become noticeable that everything has suddenly become very, very quiet. A stark, staring silence has fallen over the town, and with it comes a sense that something isn't right. That something unnatural has happened, that something is present that shouldn't be; whatever it is, it seems to demand reverence. Not in the way that the Lake Guardians demanded reverence, but in a way that's glaringly and blatantly terrifying. When the man enters the cavern, he doesn't look like anyone you've seen before. Like all members of Team Galactic, he's dressed strangely, though his outfit differs greatly from those of the grunts and the commanders alike; it's difficult, honestly, to tell exactly how old he is - he moves with all the abruptness of someone rather young, though his general appearance would imply that he's seen more than enough of the world to be thoroughly tired with it. He carries himself well, straight-backed and tall, with the sort of countenance that implies that he's used to being listened to; the sort of person that receives respect not because he demands it explicitly, but because he already seems to have earned it somehow, and he expects it, and very few people argue the point. His bright blue hair is spiked up and back, away from his face; his gaze is piercing, and his expression is almost alarmingly unreadable. When he speaks, his voice isn't relaxing to listen to; it's a bit too rough in timbre for that. At the same time, he doesn't seem worked up or agitated. He isn't blank, either, not like the affected; he's just very, very calm as he stops a reasonable distance away, folding his hands behind his back as he regards the group evenly. "My name is Cyrus; I serve as the leader of Team Galactic, and the creator of the ideal world. I've found your efforts to be remarkable, the strength of your collective spirit undeniable... And yet as one who seeks a permanent end to pointless strife and hostility, and you being those who seek to restore such things to this world... I believe our meeting is long overdue." |
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...I suppose that is a point, yes.
[Like, she doesn't want to say it but holy shit she's not here to try to turn this into a shitshow.
...More of one than it's likely to be, anyway, but. Yes.]
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[It's not particularly a question.]
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[He gets an answer regardless.]
Hasty an assumption it may be, but what I have seen of this world is beautiful and full of life. Even the parts that aren't...they too, have the potential for such things.
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Tell me - is the world you come from very different from this one...? That you should speak so highly of it... It's interesting to me.
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[Camilla's tone is still effectively neutral as she speaks, keeping it very even.]
Where I come from, the land is quite inhospitable. The weather makes it near impossible for crops to grow, and for the country to sustain itself; only the hardiest of plants are able to survive there. As such, we deal with food shortages and poor crop conditions constantly; it's embarrassing as a country, to not be able to provide for our citizens as they deserve to be provided for, while the bordering country so abundant and secure...that they would never have to worry for such things. And times like the ones we are in...it only makes it harder on them, as we cannot focus our attention elsewhere for a second...
[Really, it's...she's not even sure if her father really believes in any of that now, but it's easier to explain what she knows rather than try to think about that, or the war, dear gods the war--]
This land, by contrast...is wonderfully bright and lush, but that's not all; there's such a lovely feeling of open-heartedness as well. The people here, they seem to have little need to worry for themselves, as they have so many manners of coming into their own in the world. Alongside their wonderful Pokemon, who are able to stay at their side and look out for them with such care, while their trainers look out for them in kind. There's so much kindness in what this world has been able to achieve, and it's...
It's enviable, really.
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[From the sound of it, it's entirely possible that he does; at the very least, he understands, even if he doesn't have a personal stake in the matter.]
And should a solution to your country's problems present itself, would you not take it...? If there were a way to ensure that your people were provided for, that you could arise from your current situation victorious and countless lives could be salvaged... Wouldn't it strike you as natural to take that route, should it be available?
I'm not asking you to agree with me, nor am I asking you to consider my own stance on the matter. I simply as you: Where do you draw a line at a price too high to be paid?
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I draw the line at the people's ability to enjoy their new prosperity. That families would not be able to sit with their own, able to enjoy their meals...that the people would not be able to heave a sigh of relief, when it's all over and they can finally begin the process of moving on, and life would not be able to continue? That would present itself as a flawed solution, and I would work towards a solution that would not compromise it with the others, with the belief that one could be worked towards.
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[...It's not entirely the truth, all things considered, but it's what she'd do if she had the power to do so.]
I do not believe that... [She breathes a bit to steady herself. Closes her eyes a bit. Gods, this is definitely lying but she's telling herself this is what she'd do--] That the world is so fraught with suffering, that I would go against my own principles and sacrifice that. And I don't believe that the world is simply so hopeless that it would be the only, definitive way.
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