Session 52, VP2

 (These notes were written by the player for Lauren, from Lauren's POV.) 
Skirlic may not believe that I am capable of murder, but I certainly thought about it as she laid against a bench.

Sylvie leapt into action to assess and heal her injuries while Reinhold and I asked her who did it. She claimed it was someone in Blademill colors but didn’t see who. I told her it was likely an agent trying to stir up trouble and incite the two towns. Reinhold puzzled if it was a distraction, but I don’t think so. Ultimately, I’d target her and Ilvri to accomplish widening the rift.

I asked Bronze to check in with Donner, who confirmed he hasn’t seen anyone enter or leave the camps. Thistle and Bronze both try to pick up a scent from the poison left on Skirlic but fail.

It really does bring me joy to see Skirlic confused about something stupid— like “why is the short one sniffing me” levels.

We look around the locker room and see the scene of the assault. Whoever it was ambushed her from a shower, taking the curtain down with them. They were very good about not leaving a trace, but not good enough— I found some purple dust wrapped in the curtain. I took a sample.

Randolph and Selby arrive, so we leave them to watch Skirlic at the gym while we go check on Ilvri. We found her passed out behind her desk. However, neither Sylvie nor I were convinced that she’s 100% okay as I rushed to look her over and Sylvie examined the bottle on the desk. Sure enough, she’s been targeted as well— with the same purple dust.

Ilvri is alive, though unconscious. We have Reinhold scoop her up and take her to the Pokemon Center with Bronze and Sylvie. The Blademill folks are ready to fight us but Bronze snaps some orders and they fall in line. I ask someone to fetch Coach Tagni and I catch her up on what we’ve found. I reiterate to her that the culprit is trying to widen the rift between the towns. She promises she’ll do her best to keep her folks in line. I have faith in her… but I worry about her.

There’s an old saying I’ve heard in my studies— who will guard the guards? Tagni will watch over her charges but who will watch over her..?

Donner is next on my list to check on. I tell him everything, knowing how important Ilvri is to him. He’s worried, of course, but trusts in Sylvie. I ask him what he would like to do and he decides to remain at his post. I give him a hug and circle back to the gym.

With both leaders targeted, I want them in the same building. Selby and Randolph aren’t having much trouble keeping Skirlic down, which reinforces my decision.

Of course Skirlic can’t let the rivalry go for even a moment as the second she sees Ilvri, she tries to leave. I am tired and frustrated and worried to the hells and back, so I admit I lost it on her a bit. I don’t care if she doesn’t want to even be in the same room as her, look at her, or talk to her, but she *is* going to stay in the Pokemon Center.

Skirlic relents by going to where we’ve been sleeping, and that’s good enough for me. I tell Randolph and Selby to give her some space but to keep an eye on her while I give Ilvri a stern talk as well— though she at least appears to understand, even half drunk, and doesn’t need to be argued with

.

Honestly, this rivalry is utterly infuriating. Pride and posturing— it’s bullshit. Jealousy can only be helpful if used as a motivator to improve oneself. Otherwise, it’s fucking worthless.

With all of that dealt with, I get to assess everyone. Ilvri looks well, though still drunk. Bronze, Aegson, and Reinhold are perfectly fine. Sylvie has a huge bruise on her chin for some reason. I’m suspicious, but seeing as no one is paying it much mind, I let it go. My best guess is that waking Ilvri triggered a fight reflex. An unfortunate accident. So long as Ilvri made some kind of amends, it’s fine, I suppose. It will heal.

We get to talking about what we’ve learned, and Aegson is able to confirm that the purple dust we found is part of the remains of the poison swordthane’s weapon, though it seems to take something out of him. I half consider tossing him a water or healing everybody around me, but I leave it be for now. It's not an emergency and he’s not in immediate danger.

While we’re trying to figure out our next steps, Bronze gets a phone call and steps off to the side to take it. After a few moments, she says she has to do something and leaves her pokedex behind. 

Reinhold immediately follows her to enable the buddy system while I look at her device, which shows a last call from Elof. I share one last “you better fucking be here when I get back” at Ilvri and quickly follow after her with Sylvie.

After Bronze grabs the box of money and gems from Elof’s tent, I ask her what she’s doing. She says she needs to do this for Elof. I tell her to stop and ultimately have Reinhold snatch the box from her and run away in case she tries to get it back. Sylvie starts trying to find Elof based on his slimy mind control and gets a general direction. Aegson makes a boast that they managed to destroy the box and everything in it, which strikes me as odd until I realize we’re provoking Elof, which will likely help with locating him.

Once I’m sure Bronze is more settled, I help her look, and Donner joins in remotely. With the three of us, we pinpoint him, and Donner sends Duna to be our eyes from the sky. Sure enough, he’s in an alley behind the gym, and Sylvie gives me a nudge.

“You can order Duna, right?” She asked me.

“If Donner is okay with it, sure.”

“I think it’s time for some Thunder.”

I think I smiled so hard, my face hurt for a bit because that is the best fucking idea I’ve ever heard. I check with Donner and give the order. And because it’s raining, it cannot miss. The resulting show was fantastic, and I wish I could have recorded it with perfect clarity to be able to rewatch it time and time again. Alas, it will just have to stay etched in my memories.

We hurry over and of course there’s a crowd and of course Gyda is there, trying to claim credit as usual. We decide not to argue with her as Reinhold and Aegson haul away a crispy Elof to the Pokemon Center, tying him up so more important folks can decide what to do with him.

We determine we don’t need a murder to find out what Elof’s thane powers are, it would only take blood. Aegson goes to take it from Elof, but I intercept him and offer mine.

Not because I have any love for the man. I would actually rather Elof suffer for what he’s done and tried to do. Truthfully, it probably should bother me that I wish him so much harm. But it doesn’t. He violated Bronze, used her. He’s lucky I’m leaving it to Skirlic and Ilvri to decide what to do, else I’d kill him myself. 

Aegson offers me an almost pitying smile as he says a swordthane’s blood would be better for this. Reinhold volunteers at that point. I’d rather use Elof if that’s the case but Aegson acquiesced and I kept my mouth shut.

We confirm that he gained the Pokemon move Poison Jab from his shard, which matches with what Sylvie believed hurt Skirlic. We also confirm how his powers work, and that it’s simply by talking, not through the jewelry itself. Suggestions of things that a person may be inclined to follow through on. I can only imagine what he might have accomplished had we not unleashed Raikou’s might upon him. I’ll have to make sure I get Duna some extra treats for her excellent work.

Then there is the matter of what’s to be done with the remains of the poison swordthane’s weapon. Aegson intends to keep it, Reinhold doesn’t want him to. I don’t see why Aegson shouldn’t be allowed to keep it— not like he can use it himself— but I’d be wary if all of the swordthane weapon remains are on him— he is certainly capable, but I worry for his well-being. And if something were to happen to him, what then?

Reinhold is great at making assumptions, so I finally ask Aegson what his intentions with the weapon are. Aegson explains that he ultimately seeks to destroy the Adelbrand weapon— which if I’m not mistaken, is also Reinhold’s goal— and that he will do whatever he must to accomplish this goal. He does not wish to kill people but if it becomes necessary, then so be it.

We argue back and forth for awhile to determine who is going to hold onto it— I already pointed Aegson toward Gyda as his next target, so that tidbit could not be used as a bargaining chip to the others’ frustration.

Ultimately, we broke it in half. Reinhold wasn’t permitted to touch it as handling it would apparently make him an official swordthane (which is stupid— it’s not their family weapon, he can’t use it, it shouldn’t make a difference), so Bronze took it.

Of all of us, I’m glad she has it. I certainly don’t want anything to do with it, and it’s just not something for Sylvie or Donner to have to manage.

Ilvri took off with a promise from Reinhold that he’d come by later, so I retrieved Skirlic and presented her with Elof as the primary culprit. She asked if we were sure, and I told her, “100%”. She punched him right where he had punched her, and I grinned as he got what he gave. It’s too bad she couldn’t poison him back, but at least the broken rib was a start.

Aegson and Reinhold went off to have a chat and I got a mental ? from Donner, as it seemed like my pokedex was going off like crazy. I went to meet up with him and read the messages since he seemed worried and there were an awful lot of them.

I haven’t actually met Hyterig yet. At one point, I had hoped that maybe I would be able to learn some Elder Vanic from him. But at this point, I’d sooner see his head on a pike. He will not be permitted to use Sylvie in that or any manner. She is her own person and the sheer **audacity**—

Sylvie was in her room when Donner and I got back. I asked if we could talk, and she said she didn’t want to. I asked if we could sit with her, and she unlocked the door so I let us in. I asked if I could give her a hug and she said yes, so I did.

I swear to Latios and beyond that I will not allow anyone to lay a finger on Sylvie without her express and enthusiastic consent. I will do whatever it takes to protect her.

At least for now, it is simply showing Donner how to build a proper blanket fort. I’m worried about Bronze and how she’s coping with what happened, so I tell her to come over and try bribing her with snacks. No real answer from her, but at least Ros brought her some of the snacks. I’ll have to check on her in the morning.

Reinhold went on his date with Ilvri. He got back pretty late, very drunk, but in seemingly better spirits (ha— because he consumed them? …ah, shut up, Lauren). He was still asleep when Skirlic asked me to bring Elof to the tournament square in the morning, but he scrambled himself to at least be somewhat presentable as we wheeled Elof’s bed over.

It must’ve been quite the sight, our little group pushing a hospital bed with a grown man tied to it and gagged.

Skirlic began to preside over what was quickly becoming a public “trial”. She also ousted her team’s coach as the murderer for Hemming— which she did do. She wanted public execution, but the crowd didn’t seem as enthused for it, so it was suggested that we help decide their fates.

For fucks sake. They were supposed to decide. We talk about imprisonment, but I don’t think that’s fitting enough for someone who did actually murder someone. She’s trying to blend into the background, let the crowd focus on the spectacle of Elof, but oh, I make sure she knows we haven’t forgotten her.

She breaks and confesses that she’s tired of the grudge, so she tried to make it so that the folks from Blademill simply wouldn’t come back. There’s a bit more to it, but honestly? To kill your own teammate? Then pin it on someone else? Pathetic.

An idea sparks in my head. I lean in to Ilvri to see if it’s something they can even do— I ask if people can be conscripted into the military. If she hates them so much, let her become one and find out what their lives are like. Ilvri seems to like this idea if Skirlic is alright with it, so I quietly ask her if she’s alright with the coach being conscripted.

Skirlic thinks this is Ilvri’s idea at first, but she realizes it’s not, and she accepts. And so, the ex-coach is conscripted into the Blademill army to serve the country.

Elof is another matter. He is not suited for the military and I have little doubt he would desert at the earliest inconvenience. I still like the idea of him dying, personally, but Bronze brought up a good point. Elof’s crimes were taking away the agency of others, so his agency should be taken away.

And so, to prison he goes. For now. I will respect the judgment rendered, but if someone from his family were to find out what happened, I wonder if they’ll kill him to try to erase any other clues. I also wonder if he won’t poison himself like those old stories from across the ocean... Capsule of cyanide? Murder but make it look like suicide?

Ah, I don’t really care so long as he rots in one way or another. My only real concern is if he somehow gets another shard of the weapon. But we shall see what happens.

The tournament will resume tomorrow; so I have one more day to start to plan how to deal with Hysterig before I resume my squire duties for Skirlic. I ought to text Brunick and see if he has any ideas for protection against other psychics. I also need to sit down with Bronze and see if we can get Donner’s pokedex repaired. Perhaps see if Aegson is still lurking around town and chat with him.

Much to do, so little time to do it. So long as I can protect the ones I love, I’ll do as much as I can with whatever time I have.