solas_ion | ☘ 013; [video/action]

[Somewhere between Cherrygrove and Violet, there is a tree.]

[In this tree is a flock of Murkrow--which the Venomoth holding the Pokegear seems to be focusing on before moving back to her trainer. And standing nearby? Lancer, with an unusually serious expression on his face as he stared at the birds in silence.]

['I guard your death.' That was what she had said to him. And it had been true, of course--the Morrígan was more often than not a herald of the end for many warriors of Ireland. Even the greatest one of his era had been no exception.]

[And now, staring at this flock of what must have passed for crows--messengers of the goddess herself--Ulster's hound felt strangely uneasy. When he finally did speak, it was in a serious tone. His words may have sounded like mere superstition, but there was a strange weight to them that made it sound like something much more than that.]

...I've always known ravens as an ill omen. I wonder if the same holds true in Johto.

[Lancer couldn't quite help but wonder: was this a warning that he going to die again? Not that he feared the idea, but he had more important things to do than add a third death to his list.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

... hn.

It isn't the first time Pokemon have swarmed like this and remained relatively peaceful, but... [she shakes her head and falls silent again]

But something's not right. Correct? And it isn't only because they're a sign of trouble.

Precisely.

I suppose, for now, there is nothing we can do but wait.

Don't have much choice, do we?

Unfortunately, you're correct.

Typical of Johto, then.

Still, of all the swarms it could be, I'd rather it wasn't crows.

If it were something else, I'm sure most of us would not be as concerned as we are now.

Are they still an omen of death in this age? I know things like that have a habit of changing.

Only for those who are superstitious.

...Take my word on this. It's not only mere superstition, I can assure you of that.

Do you speak from personal experience?

Yeah, to say the least. I know it's not the same here as it was back in my time, but I kind of have a history with ravens.

You're right; it isn't the same. Even so, I can understand your hesitancy when it comes to these birds.

As long as they don't turn into a woman that's out to kill me or tell me 'hey, by the way you're going to die, just thought I'd give you a heads up'? I can deal with it.

. . .

I see... fortunately, I don't believe you have to worry about that.

[a beat]

May I ask... under what circumstances did that last event occur?

Which is what I'd call a good thing.

Hm? Oh, just some difficulty with a goddess called the Morrígan--she governed battle and was usually associated with ravens.

[Completely casual, because of course things like this were totally normal.]

This is part of your mythos, correct? Before your quest in the modern world?

You got it. I think when I first met her I was...seventeen, maybe? Hell, I don't remember. I might have brushed her off while I was in the middle of a fight, so she tried to get me killed.

Then we crossed paths years later, and she sort of warned me I was about to die.

[Shrug.]

Which I did, obviously.

[sigh] She sounds quite charming.

Yeah, she was just delightful.

You have my condolences.

Don't bother--I'm dead, what do I care? Besides, that was at least two millennia ago. There's no way she'd break through time and space just to try and freak me out.

That is what you hope.

Might as well try to be something of an optimist, right?

-- a fair enough point. Besides, at least as far as Johto is concerned, there is no way to come to this world voluntarily.

☘ 013; [video/action]

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