Litten snuggles up closer, purring. The alpha Sneasel also hugs up closer and purrs, as if jealous.
Since the Pokemon on the path back to the village were cleared out or non-aggressive, the party makes it back without incident. Ingo's Shadow puts down the injured person he was carrying, alerts Irida about everyone's presence, and promptly tries to make himself scarce.
"I was wrong about what you should do. You shouldn't stay here and follow in my example. I don't know what you should do, but it should be whatever brings you as far away from my path as possible. You are on your own."
"Ah..." She frowns. "...I'm really worried about him. You wouldn't know this about him, but he's been acting differently lately. He's usually a very kind and welcoming person. I don't know... if some kind of curse has been laid upon him."
She holds out a tablet towards you. It has an engraving, but of course you can't read it. Still, you have obtained an Icicle Plate!
What, is not bein' kind and welcomin' a curse? Seems to me that whatever happened he's doin' his best to act normal, and that's just makin' it worse...
"Well—that's what I mean. I don't know if 'whatever happened' is some kind of external influence. Or if everything is just... getting to him."
She looks embarrassed to have jumped straight to supernatural influence though.
"It's a Plate... It's something passed down among the people of this region. It's said they've existed since the beginning of creation. It felt right to give it to you. ...I wonder if you could do me a favor?"
"...I want you to try to help Warden Ingo. There's a strange set of tracks that appeared next to our village. I'm wondering if it has something to do with him acting so strangely. No... That's disingenuous of me to say." She shakes her head. "The Almighty Sinnoh told me that if you wait by those tracks, you'll be able to go help him. And I want to help him. But you're the only one here who can go. That's all I know."
Luckily, an old-fashioned, steam-powered train pulls up to the platform almost as soon as you make it there. One door opens on its own to allow you access.
The train is similarly old-fashioned inside, but there are photographs framed lining the walls of the train car. The photos are washed-out, as if done with outdated technology, even though the scenes depicted are from dynamic angles that don't seem like they would be possible with old cameras. They depict many different people and Pokemon.
[Vicious will look at them with a complete lack of recognition of any people, pokemon or photographic techniques involved. Somehow he does feel a bit lonely, though...]
...The rest of ya wanna take a look at all this too? 'S a bit warmer in here, and pretty interestin'.
[At some length Vicious figures out how to let the smaller Sneasel, Snorunt, and two Snovers out of their Pokeballs to look around the train.]
You can recognize at least a couple of the people from your brief interactions thus far. And the Pokemon are interested in wandering and looking around.
The scenes depicted in the pictures include: - A tall young man with long purple hair looking offended, another man by his side fighting off a headache. - A girl playing a flute on a snowy cliff's edge. - A shirtless man flexing in the snow. - An older woman feeding her Bibarel. - A Gligar in some ruins, looking down at a berry on the ground. - A young man smiling next to Ingo, looking down at the vast snowy landscape glowing in the sunrise, from atop a high ledge. - Sneasler climbing a sheer cliffside, a basket on her back. - An aloof girl with a Croagunk.
The alpha scoffs, too proud to show deference, even though the smaller Sneasel admires the picture.
As you linger over the picture of Irida, you understand something:
You're not sure you would be alive today without the graciousness of Irida. She wasn't the leader of the clan at the time that she first met you, but she was already a contender. And she was firmly the leader in your heart, with how she helped you settle into the community, despite your large gap in age. No one cares more about the wellbeing of every single member of the clan. You were proud to be a member, when it was to help that cause. You were honored to be a Warden who served closely under her leadership. And you were happy to help cultivate in her a love of raising Pokemon. Once she was on your side, the whole settlement would follow.
And the picture with Ingo in it:
He wasn't the one who helped you most in the settlement, but he was your biggest fan. He found your strangeness admirable and not off-putting. And you admired the courage it took for him to confess to you. In your loneliness, how could you refuse him? Someone who was invested in you, with a kind heart, who never spoke wrong of anyone, and always tried to do his part? He deserved someone to take care of him. ...That person couldn't be you anymore. You felt nothing when you considered your future. Maybe you helped him, but he couldn't help you. You hope he forgives you, and thinks well of you, still.
And the picture with Sneasler, too:
She was finicky and snappish, and caring for her required working at perilous heights. It was an open secret in the Pearl Clan that she would cycle through Wardens quickly, burning them out one after another. That's what made you such a lucky break for them. You had a talent for raising Pokemon, and for tolerating her difficulty with little offense. You don't have the most confidence in your connections, particularly in Hisui, but you know: she loves you, and you love her. You are like family now. She wouldn't easily accept another Warden even if you tried to leave her to someone else. Every day, you are grateful that you can share your mind with someone who cares for you.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Since the Pokemon on the path back to the village were cleared out or non-aggressive, the party makes it back without incident. Ingo's Shadow puts down the injured person he was carrying, alerts Irida about everyone's presence, and promptly tries to make himself scarce.
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C'mon now, what was all that about?
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"I was wrong. You shouldn't listen to me."
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If ya don't want me around, you can just say so. Don't have to be about what I "should" do.
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In the same way he did before, the Shadow disappears into nothingness. He doesn't appear again anywhere else that you can see.
A moment later, Irida comes running up the slope after you. "Warden Ingo! Vicious...?"
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[Vicious scratches Litten's head, forcedly casual]
Yeah, he left. Dunno what his deal was.
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She holds out a tablet towards you. It has an engraving, but of course you can't read it. Still, you have obtained an Icicle Plate!
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[He takes the plate though.]
What's this?
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She looks embarrassed to have jumped straight to supernatural influence though.
"It's a Plate... It's something passed down among the people of this region. It's said they've existed since the beginning of creation. It felt right to give it to you. ...I wonder if you could do me a favor?"
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[Vicious mutters, and then sighs.]
Well, it ain't like I'm doin' anythin' else. And I wanna know what's up with him too.
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"Thank you. Of course, whatever happens, you are welcome here at our clan. Consider us your home as long as you don't remember your own."
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[That makes Vicious feel? Something? Good? Bad? Confused? For reasons he cannot remember. So he scowls to himself.]
Yeah, I'll keep it in mind.
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"Hopefully, you won't have to wait long. I'm going to go check up again on the people you helped find. Good luck!"
She hurries down the slope herself, disappearing into one of the tent buildings.
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[He pets Litten's head again.]
...Well, guess we may as well head out.
[Time to head back down the slope to the train tracks]
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Whoa. This thing looks pretty handy, huh?
[He will board the train.]
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The train is similarly old-fashioned inside, but there are photographs framed lining the walls of the train car. The photos are washed-out, as if done with outdated technology, even though the scenes depicted are from dynamic angles that don't seem like they would be possible with old cameras. They depict many different people and Pokemon.
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...The rest of ya wanna take a look at all this too? 'S a bit warmer in here, and pretty interestin'.
[At some length Vicious figures out how to let the smaller Sneasel, Snorunt, and two Snovers out of their Pokeballs to look around the train.]
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The scenes depicted in the pictures include:
- A tall young man with long purple hair looking offended, another man by his side fighting off a headache.
- A girl playing a flute on a snowy cliff's edge.
- A shirtless man flexing in the snow.
- An older woman feeding her Bibarel.
- A Gligar in some ruins, looking down at a berry on the ground.
- A young man smiling next to Ingo, looking down at the vast snowy landscape glowing in the sunrise, from atop a high ledge.
- Sneasler climbing a sheer cliffside, a basket on her back.
- An aloof girl with a Croagunk.
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Looks like a friend o' yours.
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As you linger over the picture of Irida, you understand something:
You're not sure you would be alive today without the graciousness of Irida. She wasn't the leader of the clan at the time that she first met you, but she was already a contender. And she was firmly the leader in your heart, with how she helped you settle into the community, despite your large gap in age. No one cares more about the wellbeing of every single member of the clan. You were proud to be a member, when it was to help that cause. You were honored to be a Warden who served closely under her leadership. And you were happy to help cultivate in her a love of raising Pokemon. Once she was on your side, the whole settlement would follow.
And the picture with Ingo in it:
He wasn't the one who helped you most in the settlement, but he was your biggest fan. He found your strangeness admirable and not off-putting. And you admired the courage it took for him to confess to you. In your loneliness, how could you refuse him? Someone who was invested in you, with a kind heart, who never spoke wrong of anyone, and always tried to do his part? He deserved someone to take care of him. ...That person couldn't be you anymore. You felt nothing when you considered your future. Maybe you helped him, but he couldn't help you. You hope he forgives you, and thinks well of you, still.
And the picture with Sneasler, too:
She was finicky and snappish, and caring for her required working at perilous heights. It was an open secret in the Pearl Clan that she would cycle through Wardens quickly, burning them out one after another. That's what made you such a lucky break for them. You had a talent for raising Pokemon, and for tolerating her difficulty with little offense. You don't have the most confidence in your connections, particularly in Hisui, but you know: she loves you, and you love her. You are like family now. She wouldn't easily accept another Warden even if you tried to leave her to someone else. Every day, you are grateful that you can share your mind with someone who cares for you.
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