X. [Fourth Wall Weekend! Video-Action for the Goldenrod Rocket base.]

[shakespearealien]

[The light in Gorthan's room is dim, making the images all the more eerie.

The PokéGear's backlight reveals an orange bill attached to a large violet head with large blue sclera-only eyes, black eyelids closing around them as they become narrowed and peer into the feed with a judging stare. The clear giveaways are the blond dreadlocks and the silvery circular marking on the strange being's forehead - this is how Gorthan normally appears as an Evronian.

... Is it really Gorthan, though? While the Gorthan you probably know has two circles on his forehead - a smaller one on top of a larger one - this... being only has a single large one.

The Evronian speaks, and his voice is indeed, identical to Gorthan's. Only, perhaps, slower, slightly more poised, and with a certain ragged note about it, as if this being were much older than the Gorthan that Johto and Kanto have come to know.]

It figures that someone like you would keep an Eracolator. Given those books... Don't tell me you've read so much of their literature that you've become like them. Of course, having an Eracolator, per se, is not a bad thing. The great Zartas, the Beacon, the Invincible, had one of his own, where he would store the full extent of his powerful, infinite imagination. But what do you have that can compare to his greatness? Nothing, probably. You are nothing but treacherous scum.

[When the being turns his head to face the one he has been talking to, it becomes clear that...

... there are two violet alien ducks in the room. And both of them are Gorthan. The one who has not been speaking into the feed is lying on the floor, unconscious. They are each other's splitting image, except that the unconscious Evronian is wearing an earthling's clothes, while the standing Gorthan wears a large, flowing turquoise robe accenting his broad shoulders. The standing Gorthan looks down at his double with a mixture of contempt and sadistic amusement.]

You will learn, dear impostor who tried to steal my place as head of the Evronian army, that there exists no one who can trifle with Gorthan, the Warrior King.

[A large metal goblet, adorned with what seem to be precious gems and exhaling a column of glowing light blue smoke, appears into view as Gorthan lifts it to his bill. Upon closer inspection, there seems to be a dent in the cup, though it certainly doesn't seem to bother Gorthan. Who smirks, as a third being comes into view - Gorthan's Gallade.]

Right, creature?

[An identical smirk appears on the small lips of the Rocket-aligned Pokémon. To him, that his trainer was just replaced by a more ruthless and uncomplicated copy of himself is just as well.]

[[OOC: For the purpose of the 4th wall weekend, Gorthan has been replaced by warrior_king, Gorthan's other self from "Superduck", PKNA's reboot series. You'll find that he's very different from the original Gorthan, and almost his opposite, in some ways.]]

Comments

[leaveyourstarburning]

To be fair, if you opened the conversation speaking of conquest, as you have here, I can see where that might have seemed a valid option.

Not fair or right, mind you, but a valid option.

[warrior_king]

[Have a laugh, loud and hearty and surprisingly very similar to the scientist's; though there's still that ragged edge about it.

... And at the end of the laugh? A poem.]

"Power, might,
boundless fear in the worlds we claim...
That is our essence,
that is our only aim!"

To an Evronian, there is nothing but conquest.

[leaveyourstarburning]

I understand that. That doesn't mean that it doesn't seem completely irrational to others.

[warrior_king]

[Have some really incredulous and somewhat irritated blinking.]

Earthlings will think that, I've found. But, in order to survive and be able to sustain itself, our species must be permanently at war with other planets. To us, that is what is rational. You don't understand that, do you.

[leaveyourstarburning]

Simply because I don't agree with it on principle doesn't mean that I can't understand it, if it's explained to me.

I have my own standards, as you have yours. At the same time, I don't believe it's my place to pass judgement. I react to those that wrong myself or others; I don't believe in pre-emptive strikes. If this is how you survive, then so be it; however, I won't tolerate you threatening the survival of others.

It's a difficult situation.

[warrior_king]

Well, rest assured, then - as it stands, I am not threatening anybody's survival.

[He smirks smugly.]

Their emotions are what I am after. But perhaps it has not occurred to you that there are fates worse than death...

[leaveyourstarburning]

And do you not see a fate worse than death as threatening one's survival?

[This...isn't rocket science...?]

[warrior_king]

On the contrary, were I to harm anybody the way I seek, mere survival would be even ensured for my victims. At least in the short term. The lifespan of a CoolFlame is, after all, always quite short...

[leaveyourstarburning]

...I think you're misunderstanding me. There's a difference between physical survival and remaining intact as a person. Should you damage or remove their emotions in some way, they don't exist as they were. Thusly, their survival is threatened.

[warrior_king]

Oh, so that is what you think...

[Cool story, bro. :| ]

Who are you, anyway?

[leaveyourstarburning]

My name is Zulf, good sir.

[warrior_king]

And I am Gorthan, supreme leader of the Evronian army and a former Imperial Councillor. I wield the Emperor's power during his unfortunate absence.

[Orchestrated by Gorthan's second in command

Once again, he casts a disgusted look at his unconscious double.]

Whereas this impostor is a scientist! Would you believe that? Such a vile, parasitic profession. A teeming nest of traitors! A plague to all Evron!

[leaveyourstarburning]

[...that gets a bit of a laugh out of him, actually, though the sound is joyless.]

I recall thinking the same thing, once, regarding scientific sorts.

[warrior_king]

[At last, someone who understands!]

Finally. Thank you.

I do hope you have not changed your mind since then.

[leaveyourstarburning]

[He hesitates then, his expression flickering a bit before he seems to settle.]

No. I haven't.

[warrior_king]

Good.

[It is that easy to fool him.]

Now. Introduce yourself properly. You said you were not native to this world - so where are you from?

[leaveyourstarburning]

[As much as it kills him? That wasn't deception.]

I was born in a place known as the Tazal Terminals - the homeland of my people, the Ura. However, my work has brought me a great distance from there, beyond the Wilds and past the Rippling Walls to a place called Caelondia.

None here have heard of such a place, nor is this place at all connected to the land from which I hail.

[warrior_king]

[Gorthan blinks a little. Those names are simply fascinating. There is clearly a story here, and it's one he wants to know.

As such, his manners are suddenly much more agreeable. Even the sternness in his gaze is now mostly gone.]

And what are your thoughts on being so far away from your home? Do you miss your people?

[leaveyourstarburning]

[Oh, praise be to Mother, he's getting agreeable; Zulf seems to relax a bit in turn, offering the first genuine smile he's given this person.]

I'm fond of my people, and the Terminals will always be where I grew up and where my first memories were made; I miss them sometimes, of course. But I don't have any deep attachment to the place itself - home and one's family are what one chooses them to be, I think.

I'm always happy to see one of my fellow Ura, but I feel at home among those of Caelondia as well.

[warrior_king]

As one who comes from a nomadic society where the concept of family is an altogether foreign one, I suppose I cannot truly understand. But that you can adapt to your circumstances, whatever they may be, does you honor.

[Honor being one of this Gorthan's favorite words. That is genuine praise.]

What is your occupation, and why did it render it necessary to travel so far?

[leaveyourstarburning]

[...o-oh.

Zulf pauses for a moment, hesitant, though he clearly isn't displeased with the compliment; he simply doesn't know what to do with it, as he isn't used to receiving them.]

...thank you, sir; I appreciate your words.

As for my occupation...well. Given that you've introduced yourself as a warrior king, you could say that my occupation is at odds with yours. I'm an ambassador of peace, and a missionary of sorts.

[warrior_king]

As I told you, constant war is necessary for our society to survive. Please, do not take it personally.

So your country of origin and the one where you live are... at war?

[Tales of war, give 'em to him. He must have them. He must have them all.]

[leaveyourstarburning]

I'm not taking anything personally.

[...he's just really blunt, sorry about that.]

And ah, Caelondia is -

[He stops himself before the words "no longer at war with my people" leave his mouth; they hadn't been at war for many years, but that didn't mean the intent wasn't still there. The Calamity...that was proof enough of that.

He hesitates. Tries again.]

...there has been a long period of tension between the Ura and the Caels. War and battle have ceased for now, but that doesn't mean that all is peaceful.

[warrior_king]

[His questions are extraordinarily prompt, betraying his eagerness to hear more.]

What makes you suspect that hostility may linger? More importantly, how did it all begin?

[leaveyourstarburning]

The first question is going to remain unanswered; the second is that it began over land disputes.