Fifth.

[azumods]

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."

Comments

[discutio]

...Why? I think you're liable to find our worlds--and in some cases the gods therein--on something of a different level than anything here.

[Which didn't come out defiant or arrogant; just a question and the facts of the situation. Even with control over time, space, and creation, Ignis had a hard time picturing Cyrus standing against the Astrals with much success.]

And even were that not the case, what concern is that of yours? You succeeded in your goal of removing spirit, will, and emotion from this world. Why try to go further than that?

[azumods]

I would think a more relevant question is why I wouldn't, when given the opportunity...?

[perfectselfie]

[Aya listens to this and starts to shake, with a mix of anger, sadness, and protectiveness. Her world is one of music and a lot of love, and threatening to take that away is more than she can bear to hear. She knows bad things have happened, but the good outweighs the bad.]

What did my home world ever do to you? We aren't perfect. There are people who have done bad things. But we also have so many beautiful things - we have love, we have music, we have laughter. Why would you want to take that away?

...if you absolutely have to do something to someone from my world, then you can do it to me. Just don't hurt the rest of them.

[Aya is just plain sobbing at this point. She needs an adult.]

[eudaimonikos]

Oooooooookay...

[well, age-wise Michael counts as an adult?]

Let's just calm down now here. [He just gonna, um. Pat her on the head? It works for his Mawile. And maybe try to draw her back some too, she doesn't really seem like she needs to be talking to Cyrus right now.]

[perfectselfie]

[He totally counts right now. She's not going to fight being drawn back, at least, and while she's not going to stop crying for a while, she manages a teary 'thank you'.]

[divinedescendant]

[does...does aya need a hug??? jesus h christ, emmeryn absolutely cannot in good faith leave this level of adulting to michael, whose efforts she truly does appreciate but also aya is so sad]

Oh, Aya—

[And Emmeryn is a sister before anything at all so for a moment she sets the queenly strength aside to cross on over and take Aya gently by the shoulders and, assuming she responds well enough to that, pull her into a hug.]

Easy now, it's all right, it's all right...

[eudaimonikos]

[Michael looks actually quite relieved to have this duty taken away from him!]

[perfectselfie]

[Aya doesn't wait for Emmeryn to pull her into that hug. She hugs her first, just letting it go for a second.]

T-thank you. I'll - maybe not right now, but I'll be okay eventually.

[gekkaju]

[Atsushi might not be the most adult-adult here, but he sort of sees Aya as like a little sister to him...and between Cyrus just blatantly letting it be known he thinks she doesn't know what she's talking about, on top of all of this, Atsushi decides to walk her way.

Hopefully she doesn't mind him leaning down a little beside her, keeping his voice low. He doesn't hug her, at least not yet, unsure how receptive to that she might be.]

Aya-chan...it's going to be alright. As long as we're around to do something, we're not going to just stand around and let anything bad happen to our worlds.

[Like what the fuck even]

[perfectselfie]

[That is absolutely all right. Aya is pretty receptive to hugs but totally gets that it might be weird.]

R-right. I know. It's just...I don't want my friends hurt.

[anythingforyou]

[Oh gods, Aya...

...The others seem to have hugs and the like taken care of, but Camilla will go over to place a gentle hand on her shoulder. It's okay, girl. Let it out.]

[hyruglyphics]

[ . . . Aya's breakdown does make Zelda tense a little more. It's so - she can't really be like that. But it does make her tense a fist at her side quietly, wishing on some level to make such an impassioned appeal of Hyrule. Again, she- Continues to be surprised by the other girl but perhaps more to the point Zelda cuts in, ]

Aya. [ . . . ] Aya, not that.

[perfectselfie]

I - I know, I just...I have to do something...

[But at any rate, she knows that she's not thinking straight, and she stands down.]

[redbellion]

[ well he's not an adult but. he's not going to let that stand. ]

Aya, nothing's going to happen to you. We're... [ he pauses, trying to find the right words. ] We're a team. We won't let him hurt you.

[discutio]

Very well, would you like the itemized list of reasons I fail to see that as a wise course of action?

[civility is one thing, sass quite another]

First of all, there's the simple concept of spreading oneself too thin. You may seek to wipe out sentiment from every world you can reach and you may even succeed to a point. But you should hold no illusions that such a thing is absolute. No matter how widespread our influence and strength, eventually it will begin to crack and wear thin.

Second is the simple point that so far as I am aware you, unlike certain troubling people I could name, are not immortal. And even should I be wrong somehow on that point, eternity is a long time. And who knows what you might seek to do once your ideals have had time to twist and corrupt. This is, of course, assuming you don't simply reach the end of your life and leave your empire of sorts to grow past your control like a plant reclaiming ruins. If this world and any other can not stop your goals, then perhaps they need only to wait you out.

[Ignis' voice remained even as he spoke, as if doing no more than discussing what the upcoming week's weather was like and whether or not to bring an umbrella.]

Finally, you run afoul of the simple laws of probability. For if your intent extends over a dozen, a hundred, a thousand worlds and universes, sooner or later you will meet a problem. If not us, if not any person or deity or force of nature that any of us know--you will find someone on some distant star that will stop you.

[azumods]

From what I've heard, you understand the concept of devoting yourself to impossible goals - to believing that even if you fail in your endeavor, you should fail with no regrets... Because in the end, you did what you could. For your cause, or your purpose, or whatever else you should like to call it.

Do you really believe yourself to be the only one so driven?

[discutio]

[Ignis was silent for a long moment, carefully collecting his thoughts. It was...strange, admittedly, that he didn't want to lash out and argue with Cyrus as he did Cynthia. Maybe he'd learned from speaking recklessly, or maybe it was something else.]

Everything that I am has been in service to a singular purpose and reason, and all that I have lost along the way is no more than a small sacrifice in the greater battle. I would not endeavor to claim that I am the only such person in my world or any other who has sacrificed to see their dreams and hope come to pass, but I would claim to understand those who fight and sacrifice to reach the future they believe is one worth living in.

...I believe that you think your ideal world is correct, and not something wrought by anger or a desire for revenge. And I think it crystal clear that you are just as set upon achieving it as I have been in my own purpose these past years.

But since that is the case, I must ask you the same. Do you truly believe yourself the only one in all the countless universes determined to save the world?

[azumods]

Of course I don't.

[The answer is firm, and there's no hesitation behind it.]

The flaw you've been exhibiting is the belief that I'm naive... That I simply haven't considered things - either ramifications or potential complications - or that I'll be somehow unequipped to handle them when they inevitably make themselves known. The actions I've undertaken aren't done on impulse. What I've done to this world isn't something that I decided lightly. I'm aware of the gravity of what I've done, and I'm aware that there will be those that oppose it. Nothing you've said is new information to me.

I don't believe that I'm the only person determined to save the world. However, that doesn't change the stance I've taken regarding whether it should be done at all.

[discutio]

I would presume not, of course. No one who would have come this far could ever have done so harboring doubts.

But if I might be blunt, your stance and awareness does not factor into whether or not others will fight against you. And the perceived moral high ground will not provide you an advantage when someone finally does defeat you, whether in this world or another.

[takestheblame]

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

[He says with patience, for once. He's in Wisdom Dispensing Mode.

And avoids mentioning his world and how it's like because, you know, Yakuza games. Strife and conflict is everywhere]

[azumods]

It has little to do with the mere notion that I can.

[enjoymyatelier]

Well, have fun activating the Counter Force, I guess. I'm sure it'll be more interesting than fighting a ten-year-old girl.

[hyruglyphics]

[ For the second time, she's smiling because of Kayneth like. Wow dude, don't be like that but on the other hand it's actually sort of reassuring her wit ha levity she can't afford to feel herself. ]

[azumods]

[you know what, if you and all your carrying on can manage to survive there

...

oh wait]

[enjoymyatelier]

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HE DIDN'T DIE IN THIS TIMELINE OKAY]