bravenewworld | A Well Earned Celebration

A Well Earned Celebration

[The battle was over and the god Reshiram defeated, driven away by the aid of Union and its allies. The city was safe, by and large, and as the news spread throughout the peoples of the tundra, they began streaming back into the settlement in droves. Dirty, ash-coated faces were filled with relief and gratitude when they saw that it wasn't just a rumor and that their home had indeed been spared. Not everyone was so lucky, but they'd weathered worse, of course. The people of Glacier endured, as they would always endure, and they were also a people that repaid their debts. And they most certainly all agreed that they owed their rescuers a debt.

So, as night fell after the battle, a great celebration was prepared in the center of Glacier. A wide square was cleared away in a matter of hours, and the people gathered what they could in a show of thanks. Tables of food, bonfires towering into the night sky to keep out the autumn chill, and throngs of cheering wellwishers lined the area. Warriors of glacier, men carrying swords and women all bearing axes offered enthusiastic handshakes and claps on the back. Music of all kinds was played, though tribal tunes full of horn and percussion, chanting and yodeling, and even some brass groups dominated the soundscape.

A platform for various elders was set up, and they offered speeches, of course...but those were somehow dwarfed by the presence of the divine beings that were waiting silently for the proceedings to end. Some of the gods that had come to the aid of the war parties had apparently decided to stay, though their reasons were as mysterious as they themselves. The humans would have their time, and the Servants would mingle freely throughout the evening.

Food, of course, is set out in piles. Meat, fish, arctic berries, and various pastries and the like line table after table. A smorgasbord of Glacier specialties, each with a new and unique flavor all their own, and some (such as the stew) possessing a smell that only a native could probably endure. Akutaq in particular seems to stand out among the worst offenders, but the Glacier natives seem rather fond of it, and offer it to their rescuers with great gusto.

And the rewards do not stop at simple meals. either. As the speeches begin to wind down, a woman some might find familiar walks up onto the stage carrying a singularly massive trunk and dropping it down onto the wood with a heavy thud.]

Southerners! You have done a great deed this day! We, the people of Glacier, would like to thank you and honor your sacrifice! Few would do as you have done, coming to the aide of strangers against the might of that dragon...and you have accomplished something we did not think possible. To that end, we would like to present you with the first of many gifts, a token of our gratitude and a promise that should you need it, we will come to your defense in a time of need!

[And then with a sharp kick, she cracks open the trunk and reveals a veritable treasure trove of three different stones to be distributed by her subordinates.]

Rest well, and enjoy the festivities! You are welcome here, for as long as you like! Eat, drink, and be merry within our halls!

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[The ruler of nightmares, of course, does not partake in such things as 'festivities' or 'being merry'. The shadows of the trees at the edge of the illumination of the bonfire flicker oddly from time to time and a single eye peers out towards the crowds. Otherwise, it seems content to dwell within the darkness.

It seems unlikely it will entertain too many questions.]

[As much as Right has been training his Bouffalant to be not afraid of humans, Betsy still gets antsy around huge crowds of them. The only reasons she lasted so long is that her Trainer's on her back, and there are Gods for her to ~~hide behind~~ retreat to, should any of them wish to try and turn her into supper. Thus, at one point in the evenings, Right finally caves to Betsy's request for a break from the crowds.

Thus, they retreat to the trees for a few moments...and almost bump into the ruler of nightmares himself. Betsy immediately calms down and backs away a few steps out of respect.

Right, however, looks rather stunned - and a little awkward. It's not every day that you meed one half of the focus of his theater troupe's current play.] --Oh! Hi there, Lord Darkrai. Didn't see you there. Um...

[He glances down at the basket of berries in his lap, and then holds it out as a peace offering.] Want some?

[Whether or not Lord Darkrai is aware of the less than flattering portrayals of its relationship with its partner, it certainly seems that way from the piercing gaze that it levels in Right's direction.

When it speaks, it is in a barely audible rasp.]

I subsist solely off the subconscious terror and unslakable dread excreted by your kind in the deepest hours of the night.

...But thank you.

[One single limb reaches out and grasps a tiny berry.]

[Right grins with relief as Darkrai takes the berry.]

Y'know...even though you're kinda scary, you're not actually that bad.

[Darkrai looks vaguely unamused at this comment as the berry vanishes.]

Your subjective idea of 'bad' is based on your absurd biases. I am a necessary force of the universe... Fear guides and protects, even if subconscious fear may be irrational.

[....well then.]

...even so. People still think that someone who specializes in fear may not really care about many people - that you're kinda heartless.

But you did help us - you and your fellow Gods. So that just makes me think that you're not like that at all.

My interests lie in the preservation of this world.

[And in keeping Cresselia happy, but there's no need to mention that.]

Whether my actions appear to be heartless is of little consequence to me. As you may recall... my belief in your potential is not strong.

[The chaos that had resulted in the weakening of the barrier between the Dream World and reality... that had been a consequence of a disagreement between Darkrai and Cresselia concerning humanity.]

Today, I chose to intercede on your behalf. Until such time as we decide to remake the world once more, I have little desire to see wanton destruction of this caliber.

Yeah, I remember hearing about that.

And we're all with you on that last part - especially us in the Divine Defense Force.

[...what? There's only the three of them around these trees right now. He's not breaking any DDF rules, as far as he's aware.]

...The what?

[The implications of that name seem vaguely amusing to Darkrai. For the first time, the eye seems to be expressing something other than vague dismissal.]

Uh...Divine Defense Force? We're supposed to help keep the balance between Gods, Pokemon and humans to make sure there isn't a second Great Cataclysm. But we have to do it in secret from all other humans and Pokemon...or so they told me.

...

[For a moment or two, Darkrai simply hovers in place, blinking slowly at this explanation. Then...]

How quaint.

[It sounds amused.]

The 'Divine Defense Force'... Sometimes, I see why Cresselia is fond of your kind.

[They're like cute pets, aren't they?]

And how are your goals getting along?

[Darkrai sounds rather amused. Right actually got him to show positive emotion. He can't help but grin at that.

...just don't mind the sparkles coming off of him.]

Pretty good, actually. We've established contact with you and your fellow Gods, and it's pretty obvious that many of you are willing to help. We just now need to stop those that haven't learned from the past from screwing everything up.

[Like Gigas and Team Evolution, is what's left unsaid.]

Step 1, complete; Step 2, in progress; then on to an eternity of peace.

[It continues to sound amused.]

It appears you have accounted for everything.

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[And zoom...down comes a Golurk, not too far away. Lucca drops off Gato's back and waves weakly at Darkrai. Taking a step closer, she bows. Which is about as formal as she can ever manage.]

Um. Hello there. Uh. Darkrai, right? [Gulp.] Thank you, for the help earlier.

[Darkrai gazes at its visitor with all the enthusiasm of someone greeting a door-to-door vacuum salesman.]

...You are welcome.

[...
...
...

Actually, this is pretty good for Darkrai, given the last time anyone from Union spoke to it.

...A few awkward moments later, it rasps something else.]

You ought not to have laughed.

[Okay, okay, she can't help but grin a little bit.

Burning trash attack was pretty amazing okay?]

No? Even when you held it's mouth open for Hooly? C'mon, that was pretty good. Even you were about to laugh, I could tell.

[A slow, elongated sigh.]

...Perhaps.

But to sow the seeds for a personal hatred in a creature of that nature... is not wise.

Maybe not...[Lucca shrugs.] But you know what? I figure, it's going to want to kill me anyway. It was certainly trying hard enough, so maybe giving it a little reason to remember me is a good thing. Because if it's intent on taking me out next time, then maybe it won't be so interested in my friends.

...

[Darkrai is silent again.]

A scene of that kind would feature prominently in the nightmares of most humans. You are an odd one.

[Lucca adjusts her glasses and laughs, a light sound of genuine amusement.]

Well, most humans probably don't like having huggy Muks for friends either. So I guess you're probably right. Either way, I don't think buying some friends a few extra seconds is exactly nightmare-worthy though.

And hey, maybe I just gave him a new nightmare or two, if you think about it.

As a supremely qualified expert in the understanding of the machinations of the primordial brain, I consider that unlikely.

[Is Darkrai trying to be witty?]

Then I suppose next time I'll just have to try harder, huh?

[If this involves making a portable Zubat cave, she will do it.]

Anyway. Is there something I can do to repay you?

No.

[The answer comes dully.]

There is nothing that I want from you humans... nothing you can consciously offer, at least. I dwell in the world of dreams.

[So... have some more nightmares every now and then, 'k?]

Well then I guess I'll just...be on my way then. Uh. Take it easy.

[She waves and turns away, though...something is changing about her. Maybe she's grown a bit taller, her voice a bit tinnier, and her eye color shifts into a steely grey. It's not much of an evolution, but then Lucca's not the most dramatic Enlightened.]

...

[Darkrai watches her go with an inscrutable expression. ...This is largely due to the fact that it has no facial features besides eyes.

Maybe she was one of those types who evolved in the presence of a Dark-type... It will hardly flatter itself by thinking this conversation had been particularly stimulating in any way.

Humans were too friendly. They gave it headaches.]

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