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Post by oddeyes on Jun 25, 2018 20:35:29 GMT
This was not fun at all. Tiki ends up on the other side, but it felt like she was spun in every direction. She drops to her knees, and vomits. She holds her stomach, and hunches over. Yeah. She was ready to leave now.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 25, 2018 20:38:37 GMT
Clay swallows hard a couple of times but manages to keep his own lunch down. "Well. That was... yeah." And they're going to have to go back through, too, unless they want to walk back - which, from what Ming-Na said, would probably take several years.
He pats Tiki's back abstractedly and looks around as he waits for her and Holly to recover from the trip. Just where have they ended up?
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May 31, 2023 21:25:23 GMT
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Post by Raven on Jun 25, 2018 20:41:17 GMT
Once everyone has recovered from jumping through the portal, they find a large, faintly glowing tree with bright green grass all around. It's as if all the life in the immediate area has been energized. |
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 25, 2018 20:49:54 GMT
"Woooow." Clay isn't too nauseated to be impressed. He gazes up at the glowing tree with wide eyes.
After a moment he tears his gaze away and looks around at the surrounding trees. "Master Ming-Na said this tree had a guardian, too... Hello? We've come to ask for a... favor doesn't sound right... a boon." He glances back at Rei. "Boon's the right word, right?"
He bows low to the tree, just in case it's listening - not as a substitute for dropping to his knees, this time, just as a respectful greeting. He still hasn't quite shaken his impression that the tree in the woods near Mt. Moon might have been Shaymin.
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Nov 23, 2023 19:11:09 GMT
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Post by lichlord on Jun 25, 2018 20:54:04 GMT
"... Or just 'help'. Either would work."
Rei stays back with Holly. She'll let Clay take this and do the talking, he's not jaded by this whole thing yet. And no amount of tree light shows will undo everything she's experienced and knows.
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Post by Raven on Jun 25, 2018 21:02:37 GMT
A woman appears from out of the treeline. "Ah! Visitors! It's been so long! I hope your journey wasn't too taxing. My name is Xandria, and I welcome you to the Grove of Life." |
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Post by oddeyes on Jun 25, 2018 21:08:42 GMT
Tiki just takes a seat nearby. She takes a look at the lights, and the weird antler lady. Oh no....It was another one of "those people" wasn't it? People who were just representatives to the ones that actually needed talking to. Tiki was content to let Clay or anybody else negotiate blessings from gods. "It was...."
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 25, 2018 21:22:10 GMT
Well. This is the first of these emissaries Clay's met who have actually been friendly. At this rate the next one will be joining the team outright. Though, honestly, Shaymin's representative was helpful, even if she just wasn't fond of company.
He smiles back at her and bows again. "I'm Clay of the Blazing Tree Troop." He pauses for a moment to let the others introduce themselves. Once they have - or after an awkward silence if they don't - he goes on, "I really hate to be one of those people who only shows up when they need something, but Rei's right. We've come because we need help. There's this person called the Usurper, she wants to use Yveltal's power to... I guess you probably don't care that much about the politics if she wants to take over Celadon, but a lot of people will die if she does it."
He swallows hard. This time he's not about to throw up, but the memory of the empty eyes of the Usurper's victims has stuck with him all this time. "We've been getting these dream-messages, from Darkrai. It seems like we're the ones who're meant to solve this. But to stop the Usurper we need Xerneas's help."
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Post by lichlord on Jun 25, 2018 21:28:31 GMT
Even if she's unhappy about the legends, Rei will at least be polite enough to introduce herself. Afterall, this isn't Xernaes, rather a representative. Celeste was nice despite the bad news she had to bring, but she was only the messenger and maybe Rei shouldn't have been as upset with her as she was. She gives a little bow of her head.
"Rei Leeda, and this is Holly."
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Post by oddeyes on Jun 25, 2018 21:30:45 GMT
Tiki gets up when she isn't as woozy. She gives a little wave. "Hi. I'm Tiki."
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Post by Raven on Jun 25, 2018 21:44:00 GMT
Xandria seems aghast. "Why would I not care? All life is precious! Allow me a moment to awaken Xerneas, so that they may hear of your plight directly." She turns and says some words in a strange language to the glowy tree. Within moments, the tree begins to transform, taking on a new shape. When the light fades, something that looks akin to a big, blue deer is standing where the tree was. The deer, which is presumably Xerneas, looks at each person in turn.
To Clay: "You have a brave and noble spirit, young Clay. Never lose it." These words seem to echo inside of your mind, almost like a form of telepathy.
To Tiki: "I sense the pain inside of your heart, Tiki. Pray do not let it harden your heart. Love is among the most precious of gifts in all of Creation. While it has the potential for great pain, it also has the potential for great joy. If you never allow yourself to be open to love, then how will you ever experience true happiness?"
To Rei: "You do not trust me, I can feel it. I regret that your interactions with others of my kind (Legendaries/gods) have been less than inspiring. I wish it were not so, but I feel that all this time separated from humans has perhaps made some forget that they are as much a part of this world as we are, and should not be cast aside for any reason."
To Holly: "Ah, an interesting individual you are, Holly. Part human and part Pokemon, with the best and worst of each world. I also sense a great darkness inside of your heart. Pray do not let it consume you and lead you down a path darker still. You have such potential, I would hate to see it thrown away out of bitterness and spite. If you truly wish to walk this path, know that it is a solitary one. To walk the Path of the Devourer is to be forever alone. Think upon that."
To all: "Welcome, humans, to my home. I wish we had not met under such dire circumstances. I know what it is you have come here for, and I am willing to aid you. Death, in whatever form she takes, must be reigned in to prevent tragedy."
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Post by lichlord on Jun 25, 2018 22:11:04 GMT
Rei watches as Xerneas transforms from the tree in front of their eyes, and then proceeds to talk to their minds. But... well a small note about 'regret about my fellow gods' is as if someone dropped a pebble into a puddle and expected the water to flood the surrounding areas. A small 'sorry' is hardly enough. She just shuts her mind down, not wanting to let Xerneas see anymore of her thoughts. Although the fact that Xerneas talking to all of them seems to indicate that they were willing to help from the get go. But then... what was that back there about then? About just letting death do it's thing?
...Something feels wrong here...
But Rei can't think on it long, as she looks over to Holly who seems pretty shaken about the whole thing.
"Holly, is everything alright?"
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Post by oddeyes on Jun 25, 2018 22:19:33 GMT
Tiki gazes at the majestic deer, and it is pretty cool. But, she does reflexively cover her ears when talked to telepathically. She really not a fan of that. When it brings up love, Tiki shakes her head, and tries in vain to plug her ears from all sound. No. No..Nononono! No more talk of love! It's done, and over with! She's done with all talk of love.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 25, 2018 22:39:17 GMT
Clay just bows his head slightly, acknowledging the honor of the contact. He's not really thrilled about people - even gods - being inside his head, but it doesn't hurt to be respectful. "Thank you. I, uh, like I told the guardian of the other tree, I don't expect anyone to fight our battles for us, but without your help I don't think we'd even get there." It strikes him that Shaymin's envoy might just be kind of cynical, about humans and gods both. Then again, given some of the other gods they've had contact with, indirectly or not, he can't really blame her.
He kind of wishes he'd found out her name, but she's never seemed inclined to hang around and chat.
"What I don't understand is how this even happened. The other guardian said something about the Usurper just... taking Yveltal's power. I'm gonna be honest, if she's who we think she is she scares the crap out of me even without it, but something about just the idea feels... weird." Unnatural, even. "This isn't something Yveltal just does, is it? Even if it's the god of death it couldn't just kill everything all the time."
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Post by Raven on Jun 25, 2018 23:01:01 GMT
Xerneas turns back towards Clay. "I will admit, this is something we did not think it possible for humans to do. To steal a 'god's' power. The only one who should be capable of taking away our power is our Lord Creator, Arceus, who gave us this power in the Beginning. As Yveltal and I are bound together in the endless cycle of Life, Death, and Rebirth, we are aware of one another's... status... as it were. I thought I sensed something odd with my counterpart some years back, but it was only for an instant. They were nearing their active period already, so I merely thought it something to do with that. It would seem that instead, this 'Usurper' weakened and slew the God of Death (we are not immortal, after all) and stole their power for themselves, becoming the new God of Death in the process."
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Post by lichlord on Jun 25, 2018 23:19:43 GMT
So they have had the power for years now?
Rei doesn't voice her opinion, just merely listens. But if the Usurper has been planning this for years and been prepping... then how is their group supposed to stop them? Years vs basically a couple of months. Not even, really. Rei sighs at this and looks back to Holly, still waiting for a response.
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Post by Raven on Jun 25, 2018 23:21:24 GMT
Holly glances at Rei, then looks away with a muttered 'I'm fine.'.
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Post by carnackiArdent on Jun 25, 2018 23:21:44 GMT
"Oh... kay. So, uh, what's gonna happen when we stop her, then?" Clay is obviously not in favor of killing needlessly, but this is looking like a case where someone needs killing - in which case they'll have pretty much just done what the Usurper did. Or even if they manage to stop her without killing her, then there's just this crazy woman who's still the God of Death. Doesn't seem like the most tenable situation.
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Post by lichlord on Jun 25, 2018 23:24:42 GMT
Rei knows that face and tone a little bit too well. Holly is fine like she herself is 'fine.' But that's not something to bring up right now.
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Post by Raven on Jun 26, 2018 0:21:36 GMT
"With my assistance, you will be able to face the Usurper in her godly (Pokemon) form and be able to weaken her enough to end this conflict. There must always be a Death, and whether it was her intent or not, this Usurper has taken up that mantle. The goal is not to end her life, merely to restrain her so she may be forced to either accept her new responsibilities, or give the power up so that a new Death may take her place." Xerneas states matter-of-factly.
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