"Well we aren't trying to kill each other yet, that's good," Jackal noted.
Knight drew his sword, "I was here first! Y'all better get in line!!"
Jackal sighed and Silas grumbled, "Okay. Let's work at this slowly... We're all... well me. Let's find some common ground, we should have something in common."
"Like what?" Coyote asked.
<Roxy,> Stylus noted. That actually got the Silases to pause, then Jackal added, "Alice."
The 6 seemed to pause, Silas took a deep breath, "That's step one."
~Not an unusual factor. Friends, family, lovers, often a good starting point.~
Silas looked to Stylus, "You really think we hate being you?"
<Well yeah, you guys barely spend any time as me. You're more annoyed than anything when the scarf gets wrapped around your neck. I'm the one who lost us our arm, You have described me as an itch that makes it hard to sleep...> he said, kicking a bit at the mental dirt.
Haberdasher leaned back a bit, ~Is there any reason you feel this way.~
"Stylus, listen we don't hate being you. Yeah I have some bad memories of... well what happened with Jay. I just wish I had the choice most of the time, usually it's everyone else wrapping the scarf around me, when we hang out with Alice it isn't hard for me to be you," Silas explained.
Stylus sighed, <Still, could stand to be me a little bit more. Look at all we can do, consider how strong we are and the powers we have at hand, we don't have those in human form.>
Silas looked to the others, who all seemed to be looking away, he held out a hand to Stylus, "We'll try to be you a little more. That much energy is honestly pretty fun. This venture through space, that's our chance to work on being more comfortable."
Stylus smiled and took his hand and shook it, <You better.>
He started to glow and vanished, Silas looked around in shock, "W-Where did he go?"
~He became part of you, or rather, he returned to being part of you. It seems you need to sort out what every aspect of you is, and why you are discordant from them. A promise to be whole takes effort,~ Haberdasher explained.
Silas looked at his hands, and smiled a bit, "I... I do feel a little better."
"Oh great spirit quest hand holding..." Coyote muttered.
Fwomph
Mental Realm
-That-which-is-currently-Gale lets out an awkward little chuckle and glances aside as she overhears the conversation between Silas and the representation of his Pokeform. She is silently thankful that she doesn't have to do the same-
Oh you wish that was the problem you have to face.
Right so one down, pick the next one Cap.
Coyote looked about, "What is this place anyways? Our mentalverse?"
Haberdasher floated over, ~A construct of mine to allow for this conversation.~
Silas stepped over to Coyote, "And you? What do you represent? My inherent desire for violence? For trouble?"
"More or less I think. I'm the part of you that desires to stop being nice, to go Rillashit. The one that's tired of playing by so many rules. Didn't you have fun being me during that casino raid?"
"I did," Silas admitted, "I will admit it felt... good being able to do things that way. To have an identity meant to be a criminal, meant to cause problems."
"But you're too much of an upright person, tell me. How do you reconcile me?"
"How do I not?" Silas asked, "We've always done things slight outside the bounds of right, we're always on the moral line. You're the me who can finally say "Enough" to the rules, and step in and take charge. You're the part of me that recognizes that the laws aren't always just."
Coyote laughed, "A nasty crime boy as a friend would say. A pretty face with golden hair. I am thou?"
"Thou art I," Silas responded holding up a hand, Coyote clapped it and vanished.
Jackal could be heard chuckling, "And I am the you that bends the rules..."
"But doesn't break them. You're the me that started up so much, the me that takes the lead and knows what do to," Silas finished, "The one without I'd be lost."
Jackal sighed, "The Captain of this vessel. We're probably the easier ones to sort out," he said vanishing.
Silas sighed, "Yeah... only two more to go."
Haberdasher nodded, ~Some are easier to sort through, sometimes it is recognizing what they do for you.~
He floated over to Gale, ~Are you certain you do not wish to partake in the self discovery? You are confident you are whole?~
No voice to cry suffering
Galar, Somewhere
Logan: I think you have more to say.
Dr. Ironspine: <Interrogation isn't your style, Ranger. I'm almost impressed.>
Logan: Misinterpreting me isn't yours, Doctor. From what I understand of you—and I'd hope I understand you, now—I think there's more you want to say.
-...-
Dr. Ironspine: -dour- <...that armor…>
-they lean in-
Dr. Ironspine: <It wasn't meant to be used.>
Logan: -eyebrow-raise- Pretty effective, from what I fought?
Dr. Ironspine: -snort- <Please. Against someone like you, it's as tactically sound as a Kecleon's Color Change.>
Logan: -and there's the other eyebrow- It mostly wasn't used on me.
Dr. Ironspine: -honestly befuddled(?)- <Why would I use it on anyone who wasn't you?>
-no trace of "that's why we're here, yes" shows on their face-
-this complete lack of indication isn't lost on her, and she scowls-
Dr. Ironspine: <Oh, get off your high Horsea, ask me to my face. I don't know.>
Logan: -prompting- It wasn't meant to be used.
Dr. Ironspine: -scowling more deeply- <Because it's inelegant.>
-the sheer vitriol in the end of that statement raises her spines on end-
Dr. Ironspine: -snarl- <It has all the grace and precision of a bomb, the conscious application of a bleeding heart, and the peerless ingenuity of banging rocks together!>
Logan: Aurelia…
Dr. Ironspine: <Don't argue! You used all of these against me—you of all people would know how much is copied verbatim from your damn Styler code! Do you think so little of me?!>
Logan: -interlacing fingers- You wouldn't unless you were desperate.
Dr. Ironspine: -pacing, now- <I'm not desperate! I am not!! I don't remember what could make me this desperate and I—I—>
Logan: And you remember everything.
Dr. Ironspine: -hiss- <You know my mind.>
-she collapses back into her former sitting position, fizzing-
Dr. Ironspine: -paws to her face- <I can't scheme, I can't plot, this is consuming me and to add insult to injury I'm tethered forever to you!>
Logan: -neutral- …
Dr. Ironspine: -foot in her mouth, keeps walking- <Why are you asking me? You know all my answers—don't act surprised, you haven't so much as twitched all morning! You keep poking and prodding when all you know will happen is that I—>
Dr. Ironspine: -blink- <You…>
Dr. Ironspine: <You want me angry.>
-for the first time since they sat here, the humming of the Capture Line becomes clear to her—but even if it and its hum were absent, her next words would be the same:-
Dr. Ironspine: <You're terrified.>
Logan: I never understood what Trainers got out of rivals until I met you.
Dr. Ironspine: <. . .>
Logan: …
-...-
Dr. Ironspine: -snort- <Won again, Logan.>
No mind to think. No will to break.
Fwomph
Mental Mountaintop
Woo, almost there Cap! Reconcile those differences!
-The face flickers a bit as they look over at the guide-
I mean, I guess I'm here for such a thing but I'm not uh... Fractured like him it seems? There's just me here, with all my mercurial faces. ... Sorry if that sounded pretentious. That said, if you've got some guided self-help then I'm all for it.
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
The Guide looked into Gale's eyes, ~You are not as whole as you think.~
~There is an extra face among yours that does not belong, it hides itself well but it cannot hide forever.~
Silas looked to Knight, "I owe you a promise."
Knight grunted, "You promised to work more on expressing yourself. I'm just your suppressed feelings. I've been stuck in your brain for nearly 11 years... 15, what happened to us?"
Silas gave a weak smile, "We changed. As everyone does eventually. I can acknowledge my feelings, we're working on it... it's just... slow. It's painful."
"Our brain doesn't work that way any more... does it?"
"No," Silas responded, shaking his head, "We'll get there. I've at least got some body language and some sarcastic responses."
Knight let out a scoff, his voice dropping from the heavy tone he carried, "I'll hold you to it," he said as he vanished.
Silas looked to Commander, the Lucario from the Foxverse, the him that really got into the first weird adventure. "You're the me who got exposed to this."
"I'm the you that embraces it."
"The me I ignore too much... the me who fought our first interstellar war."
"And our second," Commander said with a grin, "The Commander Shepard of our good ship Normandy."
Silas held out a hand, Commander took it, "No more hiding from adventure. No more going "This is beyond me", we're taking life by the reigns. Who are we?"
Silas smiled, actually smiled, "Captain Silas Adam Grant. Descendant of a Legendary Hero. J-Teamer, Aurabolt, Engineer, Adventurer. I am many things, and I wouldn't be this far without you."
"Damn right," Commander said, before vanishing. Silas looked at his hands and smiled, "So... this is what that feels like..."
And then he too vanished... leaving Gale alone in the Mental space with Haberdasher.
Fwomph
Mental Landscape
-Gale gives a bit of a cheer as her Captain completes his vision quest before abruptly she's now alone with the guide-
Make her look. Make him turn to see what hides. I have words for them.
Alright, my turn I guess. What do I have to do?
~Oh your captain is not done yet... but as for you. Turn around, look behind you. There is something behind you demanding to be acknowledged.~
Fwomph
Mental Mountaintop
Okay? Huh... I swear if this is the Sword personified then I am—
-That-which-wears-masks turns to look behind and like the myth contracted to their side as a Sub-Persona, turning to look behind is a very bad idea-
They suffer. All suffers.
What the..?
The only effective escape from that suffering is death.
-Looming over Gale is a figure; one that wears a mask of rictus grin marked by a simple 0. Black wings extend from the creature as it regards the mental representation of the mortal tied inexorably to it-
The only moral act is to free them from suffering.
It's... It's all static.
Free them. They suffer. You delay in your one true goal. Become Death.
-The mental landscape representation of Gale and Pentigan and every other name they hold starts burning in blue flame as they screech in agony-
Prector III
-Gale's body starts shaking and twitching in pain-
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
Now clearly this was a bad idea, Haberdasher tried to get Gale out, he was regretting this.
"Leave her," a voice came, in stepped... what appeared to be Silas, he walked with a confidence, he seemed to have many aspects behind him.
He stood up to the Static, "Universe has a sense of humor. All I'm seeing here is a cruel joke," he said to the thing behind the flames, he gripped onto Gale and pulled her out.
"Not yet her time isn't it..." he commented, "So leave her. Or I'll make you leave."
Haberdasher stared at him, ~How did you?~
"This is the way," Silas answered, "I stand behind my friends and crew. Ready to pull them out of whatever trouble they get in."
Fwomph
Mental Mountaintop
-Gale's gaze is torn away from the creature and the flame subsides. Though it seems like the fire has no innate source-
It does not have eyes to see or ears to hear. It will in time.
It's all static... Like...
Let it leave, I cannot be removed. But let it know that it did that to itself.
-Gale mutters a word under her breath containing both a v and sh sound and tries to shut out perception to abate what remains of the fire-
Silas helps put out the flames and flips the thing off, "When the time comes. I'll help her evict you," he told it.
He turned his gaze to the guide, and said only 4 words to him.
"Get us out, now."
The Haberdasher nodded weakly and ended his connection.
Silas awoke slowly, as did the Haberdasher.
<The journey is complete... Haberdasher, what did you do to our guest?> The Armorer asked.
~I apologize Armorer, I tampered with a thing that was not meant to be tampered with.~
<We shall owe her then... and our friend here, the good Captain?>
~See for yourself.~
Silas sat up and rubbed his head, the Armorer stared at him, she let out a hearty laugh, <Oh my. You are no longer discordant. Who are you?>
Silas chuckled a bit, "I'm Silas Grant. No more, no less, I am the man of many masks, but behind each one is me."
The armorer helped him to his feet, <Then, you are worthy of being a Mandacario.>
"No need to prove myself in combat?"
<I can see the yous, many warriors, many leaders, and your ship has reached this far. It was never a question if you were physically worthy, only spiritually,> The Armorer said.
"Back home there's... a commune like you in a sense, only they never remove their helmets. And consider those that do false."
<We never remove our helmets, but time has tempered us all, we are but one sect of a bigger belief,> The armorer explained, <How you will practice this belief in your clan, is up to you.>
chaos catby with a flannel shirt addiction
Somewhere in Unova, sometime in the recent past
The Frillish floated through the door into a peculiar room, carrying a shopping bag. It had all the trappings of a bedroom. A bed, a bedside table, random things everywhere. Except it seemed to be in the middle of an open field. The sky was a pleasant shade of purple, and the grass was pale teal, with a few flowers dotted around the place. Near the door, someone sat on a comparatively normal looking sofa, watching a TV while they folded a piece of origami paper with telekinesis. They were pale, thin, and looked exhausted. Their dull purple eyes lit up as they noticed the Frillish enter.
Kal: Radium! You're back!
The Frillish flew over into the embrace of her old friend.
Radium: <I managed to snag some more soup! Sadly I'm pretty sure the pharmacist saw me coming this time. How are you?>
Kal sniffled.
Kal: Same old, same old. I'm still alive, at least.
Radium: <I'd say keeping this house looking nice from the outside isn't helping much.>
Kal: It's easier than training every day with this bug. I know what happened when you tried to keep at it.
Radium: <But isn't there another way than to just stay in here and slowly waste away?>
Kal: Not with how Kale's been acting recently.
Radium: <Kale?>
Kal: The fake me that's been keeping the teachers at bay. It seems the worse I get the more they and the rest of my own world tries to keep me stuck inside it.
Radium: <Hey! I made some of it! Before I... Well... Anyway isn't there a way we can get you out of here?>
Kal: Not unless someone comes and busts me out and I'm pretty sure the only people who would do that would also liquidate me when they realise what a mess this place is.
Radium: <What if I could find some outsiders who could help?>
Kal: I mean if you want to try, go ahead. But they'd have to be strong enough to get in here.
Radium: <You know what? Next time I go out I promise I'm going to find some people to help you get out of here! Then we can travel the world together!>
Kal: That does sound fun.
Kal finished folding a paper Skarmory, and tossed it onto a large pile of similar ones.
Radium: <How come you're folding so many?>
Kal: There's this old legend from Kanto or some place near there where if you fold a thousand of these things you'll get a wish, or eternal happiness and luck or something. Seeing as I've not got much else going on at the moment I decided to do some for the heck of it.
Radium: <Well, who knows! Maybe it'll work out!>
I used to plug my deviantart here but turns out the link was too long.
The Wanderer
Isle of Armor, past
-Pulling out my own Exploration Team Badge, which likely looks a lot more weathered-
Been a while since I've had need of it.
Yew: -Noticing a particularly large and glossy Apple- <What's that?>
That's a Perfect Apple, and I do mean perfect, you'll never find one that tastes better, kinda reminds me of this apple they grow back home that goes for like 2100 Pen each that they wash with Combee honey.
-Looking at a Confuse Wand-
They don't always work as well outside the Dungeons though. I've been wondering how many people out there became like us between that whole mess with the Shards nine years ago and the sky breaking in 2017.
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
Orren Oasis
Deuterium: That's good to know. Since Cesium and Bismuth aren't staying for long. just leaves Radon, Nitrogen, and Vanadium. Not as big a colony as I'd thought. Oh, and Mercury, is it? How good are you at imitating accents? I've never been to Galar, but I hear Protium apparently sounds like the people there.
Protium: That covers us. But how are the truants going to cover their tracks?
Deuterium: The School doesn't ask questions if they're not running off, Protes. As long as they come back, they won't bother checking where they come. And come on. If they bring a big bad Templar or two with them, you needn't worry 'cause you've got a Templar of your own.
Deuterium flexes. She's proud of her guns.
Protium: Confidence, a fool's substitute for intelligence.
Deuterium taps Protium in the head for that one, rather roughly.
Deuterium: We've talked about this, P, don't start talking like the egg person who kept tearing up the sky. It's not a good look on you.
Tritium: You'll be safe here. We'll make sure of it.
Edited by MasterJayAM on May 27th 2021 at 8:46:22 PM
No voice to cry suffering
Isle of Armor - Le Miracle du Printemps Mobile Vendor, Mystery Store
-Castanea eyes that Badge, newly wary—and glances over Tagg with an appraising eye-
(-They Will Remember The Badge Of Experience.face-)
Abilene: That is a problem I've encountered, yes—whatever environment gives rise to such strangenesses proves easily the best venue for their use. I suspect their appealing traits constitute some sort of seed-spreading mechanism in Mystery Dungeons, though none have sprouted here by such, despite my best efforts.
-she lifts her white cane indicatively-
Abilene: Guiding Wands have proven the easiest to cultivate from cuttings, and in the absence of defined Dungeon structure simply point where one has in mind. Useful.
Abilene: -running her free hand over some- Petrify and Stayaway Wands lack the oomph they typically possess, an issue common to such 'status' Wands. The condition wears off, where once it would never. And it may be thrown off, by force of will in the subject or pitiable skill in the wielder—or some such hogwash as random circumstance.
-gripping one in particular- Of course, some issues do come down to the wielder.
-she tosses it to Castanea—in his hands, it blooms into something closer to a full-sized staff; he raises it high, and a bang resounds through the treetops-
Abilene: -smug- They never were Trainers' tools, thumbs or no.
-he waves it again at a nearby stump—and it fizzles, failing to activate-
Abilene: -...sigh- Sadly unreliable regardless. My point stands.
-Castanea tosses the Wand back into the vendor shelf, where it withers back to pocket-size-
Abilene: -moving on- ...I would...unironically count that Apple tree among my greatest accomplishments. It truly is fruit without peer.
Sorbus: <Pricing reflects praise, dearie. ₽2100 seems a worthy starting fee, yes?> ^-^
Castanea: -uncharacteristically emotional- <It is worth every ₽.>
Abilene: Low yield. High reward. I tried to make herbal medicine taste better using it; waste of a slice. -_-
-reluctant- ...I must try that Honey wash at the earliest opportunity, Henri's smug face be blasted.
Sorbus: -whispers- <I like to whisper invective into a crowd to see whose ears twitch.> =)
Abilene: -snorts- Surprisingly many, is the answer. Subject to statistical variance.
-...-
Castanea: -glower...but then maybe that's just his thoughtful face- <...the fact that you refer to those…odd gemstones, in such a definite sense…interests me. Their prime was so long ago—what do you know of them?>
No mind to think. No will to break.
Priest of the Temple of Syrinx
Wyndon Stadium
Kim: "Well. Mothra's up. This is going to be lots of fun."
Elton: <Yep! It sure i— ooh! I didn't know she could use Flamethrower! That's fun!>
The Wild Area, Bond or Break
Kim: "In the Wild Area, just after Geddy's... outburst regarding Neil Peart's death."
Nimbasa
Braker: "And that is it. Thank you very much, Colton and Kamu—"
(Braker suddenly looks up at the sky and notices Ian and Evelyn shooting towards him. As soon as he does, he immediately gets out of the way, somewhat startled.)
Braker: "Oh dear— Walter! Colton! Kamui! Look out!"
(He grabs on to Walter and proceeds to get both him and Walter out of the way to allow for Ian and Evelyn to land.)
Hi, I’m oghond, and I’m a Rushaholic. Sorry if I annoy you unintentionally. 😅
Empathic Kid Hero-in-training
Wyndon Stadium, Ian VS Daisuke
Daisuke and I: Use Psychic!
-Mothra's eyes glow a radiant blue and Sweetie's eyes glow a ruby red as they unleash powerful waves of psychic energy at each other. The collision of psychic waves begin to lift both Pokémon into the air.-
Wild Area, Bond or Break
Joel: <Correct, though it wasn't until later on in Motostoke outside the Rebel Treble that you would actually catch me. I remember that day well. Also, I am more than welcome to share whatever wisdom I have with you. All ya need to do is ask, and speaking of ask, how did I help you solve the Gym Challenge Puzzle in Hulbury?>
Nimbasa City
-The broom crashes into the ground with Ian and Evelyn on it.-
Evelyn: -stunned- Hi, Braker... Hi, Colton...
Me: -stunned- How's it going?
Orre Oasis
Radon: As long as we're getting to know each other, why don't we show off our Pokémon? I mean, surely there's more to us than our powers, right?
Edited by AnimeboyIanpower on May 26th 2021 at 10:25:02 AM
♪Show me the wisdom of the world... Tell me the secrets of the heart... and the sweet~ mysteries~ of love~...
Some Rando
Nimbasa
Rather it would have crashed had Colton and Kamui not extended illustory and psychic grips to stop Evelyn before she could reach the floor. With their hands extended, they simply shook their heads and set Evelyn down.
Oasis
"Already met yours," Cesium noted simply before petting behind the yeen’s head. "But this is Chaos."
[Insert Unoriginal Stinger Here]
Priest of the Temple of Syrinx
Wyndon Stands
Elton: <Ooh! They're using Psychic at the same time!>
Kim: "They are. This should be interesting."
The Wild Area, Bond or Break
Kim: "You stood under the pipes that were going to flow with water and used your Water Absorb ability to... well, absorb the water so that I wouldn't get wet."
Joel: <Yyyep. Ya did pretty well there, didn't ya, hmmm...?>
(He slowly exits the trees and stands next to the rest of the group.)
Nimbasa City
Braker: "Ah. Hello, Ian. Evelyn." (He looks over at Colton and Kamui.) "Thank you." (then, back to Ian and Evelyn) "If you're wondering where Cuddles is... he's in his PokeBall right now. I didn't want him to disturb the other people at the museum by hugging them and nuzzling them."
Walter: <Indeed.>
Hi, I’m oghond, and I’m a Rushaholic. Sorry if I annoy you unintentionally. 😅
The Wanderer
Stormchaser, far past
-To Ever-
Let me see if I can find anything.
-Starts scanning the area with Aura Sense-
Isle of Armor, past
-To Castanea-
The Shards? Pieces of the Space-Time Orb, otherwise known as the Space Globe, that got shattered thanks to the clumsiness of a minion of this oversized Carnivine. Surprised it would be that easy to break, but them's the breaks I suppose.
Edited by rmctagg09 on May 26th 2021 at 2:36:03 PM
Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.
Trans Terminus Homo
Galar Mountains
Seeing that made Alyesha grin
Alyesha: "Splendid~! Then let's do this~!"
She exclaimed, giving you a thumbs up.
Krasnaya meanwhile puffed her chest out even more, pouting lightly, not really realsing that this would not help her situation here.
Alyesha: "Alright then, ready when you are."
She said, turning around to face the mountain, waiting for Emer to come over so they could start climbing.
"One may feel fear in the face of danger so long as one banishes fear when danger actually arrives"
Fwomph
Prector III
-It doesn't take long for Gale to retrieve her helmet and put it back on again after leaving the mental landscape. It muffles how hard she's breathing as she cycles through glow colors on her eyes-
What the hell was that..?
-It's more a question asked to herself than anything-
Galar Mountains
You return the smile with one of your own and secret the thermos back where it belongs. With a hearty breath of fresh mountain air you give Pal an equivalent to a pat on the head (albeit entirely mental) and take your place at the side of this trainer.
"Alright then, let's do this!"
Nimbasa City
Aaaaalrighty, is that everyone or are we waiting on anyone?
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
Silas shrugged, "I can't say. All I know is that we can't see it. The universe has a sense of humor and this thing... well it's keeping itself hidden for a reason."
~Do forgive me, it demanded attention and I did not know what we would unleash,~ Haberdasher responded.
"I'm good to go," Roxy said.
Edited by EchoingSilence on May 27th 2021 at 7:33:05 AM
Mentalscape Mountaintop
I think I've seen stuff like this before. People tend to have Aspects in their mental landscape representing certain traits. Though, weirdly none of mine are here. I'm kinda... Just super harmonized already.
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.It looms behind. They do not turn to look. They don't notice.
-That whose face is Lady Zariel's gives a shrug and a smile, shifting to Pentigan's visage before the smile is done-
Turn. Turn and confront.
Maybe you should start delegating? I guess in terms of the true self just like... Start figuring out what is different and work from there.