Xerneas is going mad due to being trapped, conscious, for two years already. Might be a good idea to hold off attempting to *recapture* him, lest people start losing limbs =P
- Last Seen: 4 yrs ago
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Username history
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PlatinumSkink
Status
Recent Statuses
7 yrs ago
Current
How's about no?
2
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7 yrs ago
When you go from walking around at 5am like a half shut knife to bouncing out your bed 10 minutes before the alarm goes off within a month of early starts at work. Self-improvement, ho!
4
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7 yrs ago
Celebrating the one-month anniversary of my RP starting! 135 IC posts already and still growing. Also still accepting players, so hop on over if you are interested in gritty superheroes. All welcome!
5
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7 yrs ago
How to know when your day as a home shopper will be busy - when your boss can't be arsed counting all the orders to pick so he logs the official total as 'mental' :-P
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7 yrs ago
Best feelings as a GM #1 - Sitting at work cackling because a player has literally set up an amazing plot hook without realising it. *evil chuckle*
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Bio
Well, where to begin?
I found my love of roleplays through a brief block of sessions of D&D when I screwed up enough and brought an class from an entirely different plane to join the main party. After following the plot to the end - which involved our dwarven pilot flying a gunship while simultaneously controlling 4 cannons by tying string around them - we ended up crashing through a portal onto a different plane. When attempting to formulate a plan, one of the PCs delivered a line that has stayed with me ever since.
"Ask the artificer, he's already done it once."
Since then, I've done a 3+ year RP between two players - using the FATE system - in which we created an entire city through creating mentally unstable characters and callus cold-blooded killers. One particularly nasty NPC came about by a sheer accident, when the melee-build character out-snarked the diplomat. Which was much more fun than it sounds. Had a bad experience with this site before, in which the GM didn't plan far enough ahead to include any NPCs whatsoever, and the other characters had no interest in Player-to-Player interactions outside of their own 2-man group. Needless to say, it died with incredible speed, which was a shame.
But I was tempted back by a friend to play a Pokemon RP despite having no knowledge whatsoever of the topic outside of Gen 1 stuff, and even that was years ago. Despite everything, I've not only been holding my own, but coming up with a completely separate sub-plot from the main plot, and making the GM's life a misery. (Sorry Zan!)
My writing style draws heavily from the likes of Worm and The Dresden Files, which means I can do a great deal of two things. Snark and Escalation. Outside of that, I like to think i'm a dynamic roleplayer, but I prefer sticking to High Fantasy sort of settings. Anything Slice of Life-y doesn't do it for me. Unless i'm slinging magic, psuedo-magic or demons (while snarking at whoever is unlucky enough to warrant it) I feel as though I could be doing something more entertaining with my time. When it comes to RP systems, I enjoy FATE or narrative based things.
My first RP which I am GMing on this site is themed around Dragon Age as carried on from the far superior (in my humble opinion) plot of the first game.
That's pretty much all there is to know about me that people would actually care about. I'll update it as I do with important changes or epic moments. Until then, feel free to PM me if you have questions or invites to stuff, and i'll respond as soon as I can. ^.^
I found my love of roleplays through a brief block of sessions of D&D when I screwed up enough and brought an class from an entirely different plane to join the main party. After following the plot to the end - which involved our dwarven pilot flying a gunship while simultaneously controlling 4 cannons by tying string around them - we ended up crashing through a portal onto a different plane. When attempting to formulate a plan, one of the PCs delivered a line that has stayed with me ever since.
"Ask the artificer, he's already done it once."
Since then, I've done a 3+ year RP between two players - using the FATE system - in which we created an entire city through creating mentally unstable characters and callus cold-blooded killers. One particularly nasty NPC came about by a sheer accident, when the melee-build character out-snarked the diplomat. Which was much more fun than it sounds. Had a bad experience with this site before, in which the GM didn't plan far enough ahead to include any NPCs whatsoever, and the other characters had no interest in Player-to-Player interactions outside of their own 2-man group. Needless to say, it died with incredible speed, which was a shame.
But I was tempted back by a friend to play a Pokemon RP despite having no knowledge whatsoever of the topic outside of Gen 1 stuff, and even that was years ago. Despite everything, I've not only been holding my own, but coming up with a completely separate sub-plot from the main plot, and making the GM's life a misery. (Sorry Zan!)
My writing style draws heavily from the likes of Worm and The Dresden Files, which means I can do a great deal of two things. Snark and Escalation. Outside of that, I like to think i'm a dynamic roleplayer, but I prefer sticking to High Fantasy sort of settings. Anything Slice of Life-y doesn't do it for me. Unless i'm slinging magic, psuedo-magic or demons (while snarking at whoever is unlucky enough to warrant it) I feel as though I could be doing something more entertaining with my time. When it comes to RP systems, I enjoy FATE or narrative based things.
My first RP which I am GMing on this site is themed around Dragon Age as carried on from the far superior (in my humble opinion) plot of the first game.
That's pretty much all there is to know about me that people would actually care about. I'll update it as I do with important changes or epic moments. Until then, feel free to PM me if you have questions or invites to stuff, and i'll respond as soon as I can. ^.^
Most Recent Posts
It is, yes. Exact details I'll withhold for the time being, but it is the honest-to-god Legendary Pokemon who has been sealed away in the darkest recesses of his mind for nigh-on two years.
And he's pissed off =P
And he's pissed off =P
Some of the most fun I've had in a long while, the results of a 4-player collab between Kaze, Rebeca, Alain and Tantalus can now be read i the IC. I don't think it is possible to be happier with an outcome of something =P
The duo wandered around Mauville City with no luck, stopping off to grab something to eat from a food vendor who was closing up shop. Fast food didn’t agree with the man, but needs must and all that. What was unexpected, however, was the sheer size of the food. Tantalus paid for his order and thanked the vendor, begrudgingly, before the two began to wander down the road together, as they always did.
How is your burger? The little Mawile asked, teasingly, as she wandered along behind him.
Absolutely vile. If my palate found the grease between two buns a delicacy, my food bill would be a lot less. Tantalus snarked back, voice dripping with disdain. Looking down at the burger, he had only managed a quarter, thus far. He was still hungry, drained from general lack of food and the small use of power on the Porygon-Z, but the thought of eating another bite was too much to bear. I can’t do this anymore. Catch.
He threw the burger over his shoulder, and without missing a beat Apate’s second mouth whipped round and snaffled the lot in a single bite. Looking rather content, she cried happily, a sound akin to a very large cat purring. You are disgusting.
Beginning to skip, she smiled as if the wind had carried his voice away, something that might have been possible, had the conversation not taken place entirely in their heads.
It was then Tantalus caught sight of someone vomiting into a dumpster. Rebeca was behind him, lending a helping hand. A Rhyhorn stood on vigil, close by, and a small figure was present playing with Maya the Kabuto. Emotional pressure welled up within, but he was well and truly in control now. It was Yveltal’s Avatar, then. Strangely enough, when analysing the feelings now that his head was cleared, it felt less like revulsion and hatred as he had first thought. It was more like jealousy. He pondered that fact, approaching Rebeca.
Just as Tantalus had begun towards the small group, a nearby Chingling began to glow, which was especially eye-catching as the sun had set some time ago. When the light faded, a Chimecho was left in it’s place. The sight was mesmerising. Tantalus turned to Apate, determined to get her back for the jibe about the food earlier. Why don’t you ever do anything like that? He smirked at her, before reaching his destination.
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“Good evening, Rebeca.” Tantalus proclaimed, giving a respectful incline of his head. “Tonight has certainly been eventful, wouldn’t you say? The excitement has been positively palpable.” Attempting to strike up conversation, he made a gesture in the direction of Yveltal. “Whatever is the matter with him?” A sharp pain burst into his head, causing him to wince.
...AK. Of course he was, that much being obvious, the question is why? Tantalus felt very uneasy, although found himself unable to grasp the reason behind it.
Rebeca’s expression soured when Tantalus spoke, approaching from down the path. “Something he ate, probably.” She turned and headed back to her former spot, settling down cross-legged and resuming eating.
He chuckled. “At least he is one of the few that had the chance.” Tantalus considered trying to help Yveltal’s Avatar, but wasn’t sure touching him would be a good idea. “I’m afraid stomach complaints are beyond me, so you’ll just have to make do…” Trailing off, he realised something. He didn’t actually know the man’s name. “Forgive me, but I seem to have missed your introduction at dinner.”
Alain finally finished, pulling his head out of the dumpster and slowly closing it behind him. He turned around, and saw several other avatars arriving. This was not something that filled him with confidence. At least all they asked was his name. That was an easy enough question to answer.
“I’m...um...Alain. NIce to meet you, s...sir.”
He turned to the other avatar, who had just sat down. He paused, before sitting down himself, several metres away from Rebeca.
“Er...well, i hope you are alright. I don’t like it when people are all sad and stuff...er...that...looks like nice food. I hope you are enjoying it.”
A slight smile crossed Rebeca’s face, and she wiped the fresh tears from her eyes. “I haven’t had something this spicy in a long time, so I’m just great.” She blew a short breath, a wisp of flame briefly lighting up her face, and an expression of absolute delight appeared. “I may actually be paying for this later.”
“Oh!” said Alain, managing to stay composed after wiping his face with a napkin that he had taken from the restaurant. “Well, that’s good! You must r...really like your food. I don’t really know much about it...B...because i don’t...er….eat much. I drain life and s...stuff.
He then stopped, and his eyes widened, his hands making a “not what it looks like” gesture.
“I..i don’t drain p...people! Only pla...no, wait...did i tell you...that in the restaurant? I told...someone else...was it you? N...no, it was that other one….i mean, i dont drain people! I’m not like that!”
Kaze looked down to Maya on his lap, wishing to go over and talk with the other three Avatars, but not wanting to disturb the fun she appeared to be having with Jingle. “Mind if we go over next to them, guys--or . . . girls?” Kaze asked the two Pokémon. He had intended to leave Rebeca and Alain to their own devices, but Tantalus had shown up out of the blue as well, making it a crowd, as the saying goes.
He urged Maya to where she would hold onto the front of his shirt so he could stand, then made his way in their direction, Jingle hovering close to him. “Hi,” he said to the others. He wasn’t sure what all to say around three adults, but it was comforting being near these three, unlike many of the other avatars.
Rebeca chuckled again, giving him a slight wave. Swallowing, she whistled a short, questioning tune, to which Maya gave a cheerful chitter in response. Humming contentedly, she settled back into her food.
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Turning to follow Rebeca’s wave, Tantalus noticed that the boy from earlier was, in fact, the Avatar of Suicine. “Oh. I apologise for not noticing that it was you, Kaze. An oversight on my part. I expected you to stay at the restaurant for a little while longer, otherwise I would have invited you along to join me. Regardless, it is good to see you again.” He offered the boy a warm smile.
“You, too,” Kaze responded, returning Tantalus’ grin. “Though that one woman gave me the creeps.”
“W...which woman were you tal…” Alain stopped, then sat down again and tried to look invisible.
Swallowing a chortle, Tantalus replied, winking at Kaze. “Do you mean our intruding circus act, or our illustrious host, the CEO?”
Kaze did his best to keep from bursting into laughter on the spot. Though he didn’t understand every word used by the fluent Avatar, he caught the gist of it. “I was talking about the girl with the rings, but Justine is pretty scary, too, come to think of it. Though there are times I’d be more worried about her Porygon,” he chuckled.
This time, Tantalus couldn’t hold back, and he did explode with laughter. “Somehow, I do not think you are alone there. Wouldn’t you agree, Rebeca?” Intending to talk to Rebeca in the first place, he tossed a well-meant jibe in her direction.
For a moment, Rebeca was silent, eyes closed as she chewed. At last she swallowed, gave Tantalus a hooded look, then closed her eyes again and took another bite. “Mmm.”
The man stood for a moment. Rebeca’s glare was evident, and his humour softened as a result. “That may have been uncalled for, I can’t imagine it was fun, being used for target practice by a Porygon trying out for the fire department. We may have gotten off on the wrong foot due to my failed attempt to veil my humour when we first met. If so, I am sorry. Hiding my emotions has never been a particular strong point of mine.” Another sharp pain smashed into Tantalus’s head like a nail.
...ES. Obviously. Tantalus rarely told the truth. That wasn’t a new thing, either. Unease crept into him, once more.
Again, Rebeca gave him only a brief glance before returning to her food. “I’ve been colder.”
For a moment, just as a practical joke over her lack of humor, Kaze considered putting a rain cloud over Rebeca’s head, but then he realized doing so would likely result in spoiling her food. He wanted to find a way to cheer her up, as he had yet to actually see her smile, and Kaze liked it when people smiled.
He became lost in thought for a moment, trying to think of what might make a person happy. Then an idea hit him. He had managed to do something along the lines of this idea once before while Jingle was still a Chingling, and now that it was a Chimecho, he hoped it might work similarly still. That, and the idea he had was much, much more complex than the last time he had done this.
He gave a grin to Jingle, with only the words: “Follow my lead.” Jingle apparently understood exactly what he had planned, because it lit up in excitement, hovering up higher in the air. Channeling his energy, Kaze used it to create a Tailwind. Just to ensure he could still do what he had in mind, he bent the air in a way that caused it to whistle out a notable middle C, and in response, Jingle resonated the same note.
Now it was time to be brave. With all the focus he had, he began bending the air current into a song. It started simply, with a slower rhythm until Jingle caught the gist of it, and as time progressed, it became more elaborate. He had heard the tune once before on an older game, and if he remembered correctly, it had an effect in the game similar to his Rain Dance power.
A heavy sweat soon broke out on his forehead as he tried to combine two moves in one, allowing a cloud to form inside the city up above, though he did not allow it to release any rain. However, just for effect, he allowed it to span close to a light, and through his control of the cloud, managed to give the illusion of lightning flashing through it, though there would be no thunder to accompany it.
After a minute or so, he allowed the cloud to dissipate and the music to fade, completely exhausted from his attempts, but pleased with the result. He had never used his power to such a level before, and found himself needing to find a seat, even if on the ground, out of fatigue.
Rebeca had noticed the increasing strength of the wind, but it wasn’t until the actual whistling sound came, along with Jingle’s added tones that she paused and payed attention. As the music slowly began to build, she rested her head against the booth and closed her eyes, simply listening. She payed no attention to the light show that Kaze attempted; her mind was concentrated entirely on the sound. After a little bit, the corner of her mouth turned up slightly.
When the wind died away, she opened her eyes and nodded towards the exhausted Kaze. “You’re good at that.”
“Thanks,” Kaze panted, entirely out of breath. “Glad . . . you liked . . . it,” he said between swallows of air. Even though he was tired, he noticed that a smile had touched her face. Mission accomplished, he thought.
Alain had kept as quiet as possible throughout the conversation, although he couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable around the one called Tantalus. As in, even more than usual. He was happy to listen to the concert from one of the newcomers who he vaguely remembered as the one who gave him the bell earlier.
“Two pieces of music in one day? What odd occurrences.”
During the de facto concert that Kaze was conducting, a small group of onlookers had congregated around him. People out for a night stroll, or otherwise having a good time. They had thoroughly enjoyed it, and they were not alone. Once the crowd’s applause had died down, Tantalus stepped forth, offering his. “That was wonderful. You have some real talent, Kaze.” He smiled warmly at the boy, as his Mawile let out a happy cry from behind him. “It’s clear the two of you have a deep bond, and that seems to be something the three of us share. You and Jingle, Rebeca, Mikhail and Maya, and myself and Apate. Where does one find a chingling, exactly? I must admit to never seeing one on my travels.”
Kaze took a moment to finish catching his breath, then explained, “Jingle was actually a recent birthday present to me. She was given to me just before Suicune made me . . . uhm . . . made me his Avatar.” He thought for a second longer. “She’s the closest friend I’ve got, and the only one who’s stayed close since. I wouldn’t trade her for the world,” he smiled to the Wind Chime Pokémon, who had returned to his side, earning him a bright chime from Jingle.
Kneeling down, Tantalus beckoned for his Mawile to come closer, and picked her up. She was heavy, and awkward, but she was the only one he ever truly relied on. Thinking back to how they met, it had been on the streets, when Tantalus’s life had gone down the drains. The Mawile had been thrown out into the gutter, like him. Since that chance encounter, each one relied on the other to survive. Telling that to Kaze meant admitting to the boy… no, to himself that he wasn’t always perfect. Mulling this over, he began. “I have a similar bond with my little Mawile, here. We have traveled together now for years. Longer than I care to remember. I called her Apate after an ancient legend about a goddess of deceit. Figuring it fit her.”
He smiled, recalling the old times. “We met when I was traveling on the road one day. I took a shine to her, and we’ve been traveling ever since.” Pain flared once again within his head, drawing an audible grunt.
LIES. The word felt like a hammer smashing into the aluminium siding that was Tantalus’s mind. He could feel it reverberating inside. Unease flooded him, and then he realised why, at last.
The words had come unbidden.
The pain refused to fade this time, and Tantalus was struggling to cope. It throbbed, like a white heat behind his eyes. Panic gripped him. Those weren’t his words. Someone was inside his mind. Who could manage it? A sudden thought took the wind out of him. The woman from earlier. She was a psychic type. Tantalus began to scan the area, looking to see if he could find a culprit.
Alain chose this moment to speak. “I...met my friend a while back. Before i was an avatar.” As he spoke about this, he barely stuttered at all, feeling almost comfortable as he spoke. “He was abandoned by his trainer, so i helped him...and...he was able to help m… Er.... T...that’s pretty much it.” he said again, lapsing into stuttering. He didn't say anything else.
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Rebeca payed more or less little attention to the conversation as she ate. For a brief moment, when she heard Tantalus mention Maya’s name, her eyes flashed, though with her head down and gaze hooded, the others wouldn’t have noticed. Taking her final bite, she hummed contentedly, savouring the burning sensation in her mouth, then swallowed. A short dry heave sent her wrist whipping up to her mouth; she paused, waiting, then loosed a short burp, flames briefly coiling around her hand. “Yep, gonna be feeling that later,” she muttered to herself. Standing up, she crumpled the box in her hand and lobbed it into the dumpster. “Well guys, it’s been fun.” She fixed Tantalus with a gaze that smoldered slightly. “But I’m bored of waiting for you to get to the point. What do you want.”
Eyes flicking across the scene wildly, Tantalus very nearly missed the question. “I came here to say that you have an impressive punch, and to query just why you attacked Lugia in front of everyone.” He spat the words, too quickly. “Now, I feel I should warn you. I’m not convinced we are alone here.”
“I’m sure you did.” Rebeca took slow, methodical steps towards him. “I’ve done a lot of hiking, gotten into a few fights. You learn to read who’s looking for a brawl, and who’s just bluffing. And yeah, you’ve seemed pretty honest so far.” Her eyes narrowed. “But I keep feeling like everything that comes out of your mouth has more behind it than what you’re saying. And I don’t like people like that. You’re smug, arrogant, and frankly, kind of annoying. So what do you want.”
A grimace appeared over the man’s face. What I want is for my head to stop pounding so I can think, he muttered to himself. Trying to process words was getting harder, as the pain grew. Each burst had been worse than the last, as he had focused on it. This time, it felt like a white-hot lance had shattered straight through his skull.
SHE KNOWS. All pretence of normality fell, as Tantalus grabbed his head with trembling hands, in an attempt to stop the sheer agony shooting through him. One fact was evident, each time it grew in both length and strenght. As his body began to sense the distress it was in, his power slowly flourished into being, a shimmering effect floating around him.
Kaze watched as Tantalus’ pain became more and more visible, until he finally clutched his head from its weight. Unable to watch any more, he interrupted. “Leave him alone,” he begged to Rebeca. “Can’t you see he’s hurting?” Even though the light beginning to shine around Tantalus was unnerving, he stepped forward and chanced placing a gentle hand on his head, trying to find anything inside like a parasite or toxin, but had no luck.
“I- I don’t get it,” Kaze stammered. “I can’t find what’s wrong. . . . I can almost always find what’s wrong. This is something . . . weird.”
Alain stepped forward. “Are….y...you alri…” he stopped, his outstretched hand lowering to his side. His heart wanted to help him, but his head...did not. Slowly stepping back, he watched instead, wondering why he felt so strange when all he wanted to do was help.
For a moment, Rebeca just watched, arms folded over her chest. Well that’s new.
Mihkail, who had been silently observing the proceedings, gave a low growl. Yes it is. He rose up, Maya taking refuge on his back.
Something clicked in Rebeca’s head, and she recalled what Germaine had said. “Does Groudon ever talk to you.” Giving Kaze a light push, she rapped Tantalus on the shoulder. “Hey. Who’s talking.”
The question had taken Tantalus aback. He was talking. That was obvious. The power within him fully burst forth, causing a spectrum of colours to dance across his form. It was so bright, through his eyes, that it almost blinded him. Simultaneously, the power stopped his head from pulsing with agony, and rekindled that very same agony through the light show accompaniment. A memory flared within him, from back during the early days of his Avatar life. When he had found one of the people who had treated him like trash, beat him to within an inch of his life, and brought him back to health using his power to do it all over again. Tantalus had wanted him to suffer. Ultimately, he died of a heart attack brought on by the continued strain on his body, and Tantalus found himself too weak to stop it. That is what this felt like. Rebeca’s question swirled in his head again. The answer was obvious.
This was Xerneas.
As the name flashed through his mind, it was accompanied by sickening, triumphant laughter.
How is your burger? The little Mawile asked, teasingly, as she wandered along behind him.
Absolutely vile. If my palate found the grease between two buns a delicacy, my food bill would be a lot less. Tantalus snarked back, voice dripping with disdain. Looking down at the burger, he had only managed a quarter, thus far. He was still hungry, drained from general lack of food and the small use of power on the Porygon-Z, but the thought of eating another bite was too much to bear. I can’t do this anymore. Catch.
He threw the burger over his shoulder, and without missing a beat Apate’s second mouth whipped round and snaffled the lot in a single bite. Looking rather content, she cried happily, a sound akin to a very large cat purring. You are disgusting.
Beginning to skip, she smiled as if the wind had carried his voice away, something that might have been possible, had the conversation not taken place entirely in their heads.
It was then Tantalus caught sight of someone vomiting into a dumpster. Rebeca was behind him, lending a helping hand. A Rhyhorn stood on vigil, close by, and a small figure was present playing with Maya the Kabuto. Emotional pressure welled up within, but he was well and truly in control now. It was Yveltal’s Avatar, then. Strangely enough, when analysing the feelings now that his head was cleared, it felt less like revulsion and hatred as he had first thought. It was more like jealousy. He pondered that fact, approaching Rebeca.
Just as Tantalus had begun towards the small group, a nearby Chingling began to glow, which was especially eye-catching as the sun had set some time ago. When the light faded, a Chimecho was left in it’s place. The sight was mesmerising. Tantalus turned to Apate, determined to get her back for the jibe about the food earlier. Why don’t you ever do anything like that? He smirked at her, before reaching his destination.
----------
“Good evening, Rebeca.” Tantalus proclaimed, giving a respectful incline of his head. “Tonight has certainly been eventful, wouldn’t you say? The excitement has been positively palpable.” Attempting to strike up conversation, he made a gesture in the direction of Yveltal. “Whatever is the matter with him?” A sharp pain burst into his head, causing him to wince.
...AK. Of course he was, that much being obvious, the question is why? Tantalus felt very uneasy, although found himself unable to grasp the reason behind it.
Rebeca’s expression soured when Tantalus spoke, approaching from down the path. “Something he ate, probably.” She turned and headed back to her former spot, settling down cross-legged and resuming eating.
He chuckled. “At least he is one of the few that had the chance.” Tantalus considered trying to help Yveltal’s Avatar, but wasn’t sure touching him would be a good idea. “I’m afraid stomach complaints are beyond me, so you’ll just have to make do…” Trailing off, he realised something. He didn’t actually know the man’s name. “Forgive me, but I seem to have missed your introduction at dinner.”
Alain finally finished, pulling his head out of the dumpster and slowly closing it behind him. He turned around, and saw several other avatars arriving. This was not something that filled him with confidence. At least all they asked was his name. That was an easy enough question to answer.
“I’m...um...Alain. NIce to meet you, s...sir.”
He turned to the other avatar, who had just sat down. He paused, before sitting down himself, several metres away from Rebeca.
“Er...well, i hope you are alright. I don’t like it when people are all sad and stuff...er...that...looks like nice food. I hope you are enjoying it.”
A slight smile crossed Rebeca’s face, and she wiped the fresh tears from her eyes. “I haven’t had something this spicy in a long time, so I’m just great.” She blew a short breath, a wisp of flame briefly lighting up her face, and an expression of absolute delight appeared. “I may actually be paying for this later.”
“Oh!” said Alain, managing to stay composed after wiping his face with a napkin that he had taken from the restaurant. “Well, that’s good! You must r...really like your food. I don’t really know much about it...B...because i don’t...er….eat much. I drain life and s...stuff.
He then stopped, and his eyes widened, his hands making a “not what it looks like” gesture.
“I..i don’t drain p...people! Only pla...no, wait...did i tell you...that in the restaurant? I told...someone else...was it you? N...no, it was that other one….i mean, i dont drain people! I’m not like that!”
Kaze looked down to Maya on his lap, wishing to go over and talk with the other three Avatars, but not wanting to disturb the fun she appeared to be having with Jingle. “Mind if we go over next to them, guys--or . . . girls?” Kaze asked the two Pokémon. He had intended to leave Rebeca and Alain to their own devices, but Tantalus had shown up out of the blue as well, making it a crowd, as the saying goes.
He urged Maya to where she would hold onto the front of his shirt so he could stand, then made his way in their direction, Jingle hovering close to him. “Hi,” he said to the others. He wasn’t sure what all to say around three adults, but it was comforting being near these three, unlike many of the other avatars.
Rebeca chuckled again, giving him a slight wave. Swallowing, she whistled a short, questioning tune, to which Maya gave a cheerful chitter in response. Humming contentedly, she settled back into her food.
----------
Turning to follow Rebeca’s wave, Tantalus noticed that the boy from earlier was, in fact, the Avatar of Suicine. “Oh. I apologise for not noticing that it was you, Kaze. An oversight on my part. I expected you to stay at the restaurant for a little while longer, otherwise I would have invited you along to join me. Regardless, it is good to see you again.” He offered the boy a warm smile.
“You, too,” Kaze responded, returning Tantalus’ grin. “Though that one woman gave me the creeps.”
“W...which woman were you tal…” Alain stopped, then sat down again and tried to look invisible.
Swallowing a chortle, Tantalus replied, winking at Kaze. “Do you mean our intruding circus act, or our illustrious host, the CEO?”
Kaze did his best to keep from bursting into laughter on the spot. Though he didn’t understand every word used by the fluent Avatar, he caught the gist of it. “I was talking about the girl with the rings, but Justine is pretty scary, too, come to think of it. Though there are times I’d be more worried about her Porygon,” he chuckled.
This time, Tantalus couldn’t hold back, and he did explode with laughter. “Somehow, I do not think you are alone there. Wouldn’t you agree, Rebeca?” Intending to talk to Rebeca in the first place, he tossed a well-meant jibe in her direction.
For a moment, Rebeca was silent, eyes closed as she chewed. At last she swallowed, gave Tantalus a hooded look, then closed her eyes again and took another bite. “Mmm.”
The man stood for a moment. Rebeca’s glare was evident, and his humour softened as a result. “That may have been uncalled for, I can’t imagine it was fun, being used for target practice by a Porygon trying out for the fire department. We may have gotten off on the wrong foot due to my failed attempt to veil my humour when we first met. If so, I am sorry. Hiding my emotions has never been a particular strong point of mine.” Another sharp pain smashed into Tantalus’s head like a nail.
...ES. Obviously. Tantalus rarely told the truth. That wasn’t a new thing, either. Unease crept into him, once more.
Again, Rebeca gave him only a brief glance before returning to her food. “I’ve been colder.”
For a moment, just as a practical joke over her lack of humor, Kaze considered putting a rain cloud over Rebeca’s head, but then he realized doing so would likely result in spoiling her food. He wanted to find a way to cheer her up, as he had yet to actually see her smile, and Kaze liked it when people smiled.
He became lost in thought for a moment, trying to think of what might make a person happy. Then an idea hit him. He had managed to do something along the lines of this idea once before while Jingle was still a Chingling, and now that it was a Chimecho, he hoped it might work similarly still. That, and the idea he had was much, much more complex than the last time he had done this.
He gave a grin to Jingle, with only the words: “Follow my lead.” Jingle apparently understood exactly what he had planned, because it lit up in excitement, hovering up higher in the air. Channeling his energy, Kaze used it to create a Tailwind. Just to ensure he could still do what he had in mind, he bent the air in a way that caused it to whistle out a notable middle C, and in response, Jingle resonated the same note.
Now it was time to be brave. With all the focus he had, he began bending the air current into a song. It started simply, with a slower rhythm until Jingle caught the gist of it, and as time progressed, it became more elaborate. He had heard the tune once before on an older game, and if he remembered correctly, it had an effect in the game similar to his Rain Dance power.
A heavy sweat soon broke out on his forehead as he tried to combine two moves in one, allowing a cloud to form inside the city up above, though he did not allow it to release any rain. However, just for effect, he allowed it to span close to a light, and through his control of the cloud, managed to give the illusion of lightning flashing through it, though there would be no thunder to accompany it.
After a minute or so, he allowed the cloud to dissipate and the music to fade, completely exhausted from his attempts, but pleased with the result. He had never used his power to such a level before, and found himself needing to find a seat, even if on the ground, out of fatigue.
Rebeca had noticed the increasing strength of the wind, but it wasn’t until the actual whistling sound came, along with Jingle’s added tones that she paused and payed attention. As the music slowly began to build, she rested her head against the booth and closed her eyes, simply listening. She payed no attention to the light show that Kaze attempted; her mind was concentrated entirely on the sound. After a little bit, the corner of her mouth turned up slightly.
When the wind died away, she opened her eyes and nodded towards the exhausted Kaze. “You’re good at that.”
“Thanks,” Kaze panted, entirely out of breath. “Glad . . . you liked . . . it,” he said between swallows of air. Even though he was tired, he noticed that a smile had touched her face. Mission accomplished, he thought.
Alain had kept as quiet as possible throughout the conversation, although he couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable around the one called Tantalus. As in, even more than usual. He was happy to listen to the concert from one of the newcomers who he vaguely remembered as the one who gave him the bell earlier.
“Two pieces of music in one day? What odd occurrences.”
During the de facto concert that Kaze was conducting, a small group of onlookers had congregated around him. People out for a night stroll, or otherwise having a good time. They had thoroughly enjoyed it, and they were not alone. Once the crowd’s applause had died down, Tantalus stepped forth, offering his. “That was wonderful. You have some real talent, Kaze.” He smiled warmly at the boy, as his Mawile let out a happy cry from behind him. “It’s clear the two of you have a deep bond, and that seems to be something the three of us share. You and Jingle, Rebeca, Mikhail and Maya, and myself and Apate. Where does one find a chingling, exactly? I must admit to never seeing one on my travels.”
Kaze took a moment to finish catching his breath, then explained, “Jingle was actually a recent birthday present to me. She was given to me just before Suicune made me . . . uhm . . . made me his Avatar.” He thought for a second longer. “She’s the closest friend I’ve got, and the only one who’s stayed close since. I wouldn’t trade her for the world,” he smiled to the Wind Chime Pokémon, who had returned to his side, earning him a bright chime from Jingle.
Kneeling down, Tantalus beckoned for his Mawile to come closer, and picked her up. She was heavy, and awkward, but she was the only one he ever truly relied on. Thinking back to how they met, it had been on the streets, when Tantalus’s life had gone down the drains. The Mawile had been thrown out into the gutter, like him. Since that chance encounter, each one relied on the other to survive. Telling that to Kaze meant admitting to the boy… no, to himself that he wasn’t always perfect. Mulling this over, he began. “I have a similar bond with my little Mawile, here. We have traveled together now for years. Longer than I care to remember. I called her Apate after an ancient legend about a goddess of deceit. Figuring it fit her.”
He smiled, recalling the old times. “We met when I was traveling on the road one day. I took a shine to her, and we’ve been traveling ever since.” Pain flared once again within his head, drawing an audible grunt.
LIES. The word felt like a hammer smashing into the aluminium siding that was Tantalus’s mind. He could feel it reverberating inside. Unease flooded him, and then he realised why, at last.
The words had come unbidden.
The pain refused to fade this time, and Tantalus was struggling to cope. It throbbed, like a white heat behind his eyes. Panic gripped him. Those weren’t his words. Someone was inside his mind. Who could manage it? A sudden thought took the wind out of him. The woman from earlier. She was a psychic type. Tantalus began to scan the area, looking to see if he could find a culprit.
Alain chose this moment to speak. “I...met my friend a while back. Before i was an avatar.” As he spoke about this, he barely stuttered at all, feeling almost comfortable as he spoke. “He was abandoned by his trainer, so i helped him...and...he was able to help m… Er.... T...that’s pretty much it.” he said again, lapsing into stuttering. He didn't say anything else.
----------
Rebeca payed more or less little attention to the conversation as she ate. For a brief moment, when she heard Tantalus mention Maya’s name, her eyes flashed, though with her head down and gaze hooded, the others wouldn’t have noticed. Taking her final bite, she hummed contentedly, savouring the burning sensation in her mouth, then swallowed. A short dry heave sent her wrist whipping up to her mouth; she paused, waiting, then loosed a short burp, flames briefly coiling around her hand. “Yep, gonna be feeling that later,” she muttered to herself. Standing up, she crumpled the box in her hand and lobbed it into the dumpster. “Well guys, it’s been fun.” She fixed Tantalus with a gaze that smoldered slightly. “But I’m bored of waiting for you to get to the point. What do you want.”
Eyes flicking across the scene wildly, Tantalus very nearly missed the question. “I came here to say that you have an impressive punch, and to query just why you attacked Lugia in front of everyone.” He spat the words, too quickly. “Now, I feel I should warn you. I’m not convinced we are alone here.”
“I’m sure you did.” Rebeca took slow, methodical steps towards him. “I’ve done a lot of hiking, gotten into a few fights. You learn to read who’s looking for a brawl, and who’s just bluffing. And yeah, you’ve seemed pretty honest so far.” Her eyes narrowed. “But I keep feeling like everything that comes out of your mouth has more behind it than what you’re saying. And I don’t like people like that. You’re smug, arrogant, and frankly, kind of annoying. So what do you want.”
A grimace appeared over the man’s face. What I want is for my head to stop pounding so I can think, he muttered to himself. Trying to process words was getting harder, as the pain grew. Each burst had been worse than the last, as he had focused on it. This time, it felt like a white-hot lance had shattered straight through his skull.
SHE KNOWS. All pretence of normality fell, as Tantalus grabbed his head with trembling hands, in an attempt to stop the sheer agony shooting through him. One fact was evident, each time it grew in both length and strenght. As his body began to sense the distress it was in, his power slowly flourished into being, a shimmering effect floating around him.
Kaze watched as Tantalus’ pain became more and more visible, until he finally clutched his head from its weight. Unable to watch any more, he interrupted. “Leave him alone,” he begged to Rebeca. “Can’t you see he’s hurting?” Even though the light beginning to shine around Tantalus was unnerving, he stepped forward and chanced placing a gentle hand on his head, trying to find anything inside like a parasite or toxin, but had no luck.
“I- I don’t get it,” Kaze stammered. “I can’t find what’s wrong. . . . I can almost always find what’s wrong. This is something . . . weird.”
Alain stepped forward. “Are….y...you alri…” he stopped, his outstretched hand lowering to his side. His heart wanted to help him, but his head...did not. Slowly stepping back, he watched instead, wondering why he felt so strange when all he wanted to do was help.
For a moment, Rebeca just watched, arms folded over her chest. Well that’s new.
Mihkail, who had been silently observing the proceedings, gave a low growl. Yes it is. He rose up, Maya taking refuge on his back.
Something clicked in Rebeca’s head, and she recalled what Germaine had said. “Does Groudon ever talk to you.” Giving Kaze a light push, she rapped Tantalus on the shoulder. “Hey. Who’s talking.”
The question had taken Tantalus aback. He was talking. That was obvious. The power within him fully burst forth, causing a spectrum of colours to dance across his form. It was so bright, through his eyes, that it almost blinded him. Simultaneously, the power stopped his head from pulsing with agony, and rekindled that very same agony through the light show accompaniment. A memory flared within him, from back during the early days of his Avatar life. When he had found one of the people who had treated him like trash, beat him to within an inch of his life, and brought him back to health using his power to do it all over again. Tantalus had wanted him to suffer. Ultimately, he died of a heart attack brought on by the continued strain on his body, and Tantalus found himself too weak to stop it. That is what this felt like. Rebeca’s question swirled in his head again. The answer was obvious.
This was Xerneas.
As the name flashed through his mind, it was accompanied by sickening, triumphant laughter.
Am I alright to come up with something on the fly, then? I assume there are several dotted around the city, anyway, but wasn't going to do anything without your ok =P
Hey, @Zanavy, suddenly realised I have a question. Where are the Avatars staying? Is it the same place as dinner?
The next few moments passed without any major events, except Rebeca making moves to leave. Getting cleaned up, she walked straight over to the newest arrival on her way out of the now-missing doors. Tantalus’s breath caught in his throat as Rebeca delivered a well-deserved punch to the man, and then proceeded to walk on by as if nothing had happened. It was impressive.
It was at that moment he decided his next course of action.
He too began to gather his things to leave, packing away his glasses neatly into the knapsack on his waist. After thanking the Mayor and Justine for the night they had delivered - most of it, at least - Tantalus approached Seras. “Tonight has been rather eventful, if for all the wrong reasons, my dear. I must say, your antics with the scepter were inspired, truly. It is time for me to head off, however, should you wish to meet at a later date to continue our discussion, feel free to call on me. It shouldn’t be difficult to find me in this city, but in case Wells holds you up, I’ll leave you my number.” With an elaborated formal bow, he bade farewell, gesturing for his Mawile to follow suit.
Tantalus approached Kaze next, and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I wished to speak with you a moment before leaving our suare. Our powers may be different, but the burden we carry is the same.” Mouth twisting into a solemn smile, he lowered his voice substantially. “We heal others, be it wounds or toxins. Having the lives of people rest on your shoulders can be harrowing, I know, so should you ever need advice, a friend to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, don’t hesitate to let me know.Here is my number.” Producing a small piece of paper from his pocket, he placed it on the table in front of Kaze.
“Our ilk have an empathy no others can understand.” Tantalus removed his hand. “For there is no greater pain to bear than failing to save someone. Farewell, Kaze.” Offering the same bow as he did to Seras, Tantalus began walking towards the opening in the wall. As he approached, the Avatar from outside the restaurant earlier was speaking to Lugia. A snippet of that conversation slipped past his ears.
"Now, now... it seems like yet another rude entrance today! People have no manners... so, it behooves me to be the better man. Mistakes cannot be undone, but they can be forgiven. And I'm certain that this fellow won't make the same error again."
It took several seconds for his brain to process the hypocrisy, and when it did, naturally, Tantalus burst into laughter. “Well, now. One would hope your new friend has more sense than you do, if he is to actually learn from his mistakes.” A dark smile crept across his lips. “I have counted a total of four entrances which have been made in bad taste, over the course of the night, but the only one to have managed to pull of two such incidents was you. Of course, the lack of introductions on your part was an introduction in itself. I know everything I need to know about you, and can conclude that you are simply not worth knowing.” He had continued to walk forward, speaking to the man all-the-while, stopping only when he had finished, and making sure no-one still inside would hear him. Standing several feet away from the man, he looked over his shoulder.
“I will not be called a hypocrite, however, so I will rise above the plebeians and be the… better man, was it? My name is Tantalus, and I represent Xerneas, the embodiment of life.” Focusing on the road ahead, he began to walk once more. “Do try to remember it, you’ll be quizzed on it later.” Leaving the conversation there, Tantalus vanished down one of the many streets leading into the city proper. It might have been late, but there was still a surprising amount of people around.
Now then, my dear Apate. Let us go and catch a Groudon. The two of them rushed forward, hoping that their quarry would be easy to find.
It was at that moment he decided his next course of action.
He too began to gather his things to leave, packing away his glasses neatly into the knapsack on his waist. After thanking the Mayor and Justine for the night they had delivered - most of it, at least - Tantalus approached Seras. “Tonight has been rather eventful, if for all the wrong reasons, my dear. I must say, your antics with the scepter were inspired, truly. It is time for me to head off, however, should you wish to meet at a later date to continue our discussion, feel free to call on me. It shouldn’t be difficult to find me in this city, but in case Wells holds you up, I’ll leave you my number.” With an elaborated formal bow, he bade farewell, gesturing for his Mawile to follow suit.
Tantalus approached Kaze next, and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I wished to speak with you a moment before leaving our suare. Our powers may be different, but the burden we carry is the same.” Mouth twisting into a solemn smile, he lowered his voice substantially. “We heal others, be it wounds or toxins. Having the lives of people rest on your shoulders can be harrowing, I know, so should you ever need advice, a friend to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, don’t hesitate to let me know.Here is my number.” Producing a small piece of paper from his pocket, he placed it on the table in front of Kaze.
“Our ilk have an empathy no others can understand.” Tantalus removed his hand. “For there is no greater pain to bear than failing to save someone. Farewell, Kaze.” Offering the same bow as he did to Seras, Tantalus began walking towards the opening in the wall. As he approached, the Avatar from outside the restaurant earlier was speaking to Lugia. A snippet of that conversation slipped past his ears.
"Now, now... it seems like yet another rude entrance today! People have no manners... so, it behooves me to be the better man. Mistakes cannot be undone, but they can be forgiven. And I'm certain that this fellow won't make the same error again."
It took several seconds for his brain to process the hypocrisy, and when it did, naturally, Tantalus burst into laughter. “Well, now. One would hope your new friend has more sense than you do, if he is to actually learn from his mistakes.” A dark smile crept across his lips. “I have counted a total of four entrances which have been made in bad taste, over the course of the night, but the only one to have managed to pull of two such incidents was you. Of course, the lack of introductions on your part was an introduction in itself. I know everything I need to know about you, and can conclude that you are simply not worth knowing.” He had continued to walk forward, speaking to the man all-the-while, stopping only when he had finished, and making sure no-one still inside would hear him. Standing several feet away from the man, he looked over his shoulder.
“I will not be called a hypocrite, however, so I will rise above the plebeians and be the… better man, was it? My name is Tantalus, and I represent Xerneas, the embodiment of life.” Focusing on the road ahead, he began to walk once more. “Do try to remember it, you’ll be quizzed on it later.” Leaving the conversation there, Tantalus vanished down one of the many streets leading into the city proper. It might have been late, but there was still a surprising amount of people around.
Now then, my dear Apate. Let us go and catch a Groudon. The two of them rushed forward, hoping that their quarry would be easy to find.
@ZanavyNot disputing that, just generally thought it would be wise to read up on things you were actively planning to fight =P
Lugia might be ocean themed, but it isn't a water type. It's Psychic/Flying. Plus, his outfit is totally wrong for Kyogre. Colours flipped the wrong way, too much white not enough blue.
Now I see why Wells has such a large leap. It must help him jump to conclusions =P
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