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Murder Investigation Log / Trevenant Troubles [Action/Video, Open]
[After a grueling, largely dull investigation of the death of the woman in the sewers, one of Ted's leads had finally come through. He'd been putting his nose to the grindstone and hitting pavement, using his recall and sheer persistence to find the one responsible and bring them to justice. Like usual, the first one he went to was the dwarf's husband. A cynical conclusion, but it was a cliche for a reason. By the time he'd discovered the man's identity and where he lived, he'd already fled to the woods.
This worked out wonderfully for Ted, for he had a pokemon that could speak and move the woods in their entirety. He summoned Trevenant, the Elder Tree pokemon, who went to work asking if any suspicious men, possibly with a lot of valuables on them, had come into the forest recently. The collective of trees and other woody fauna created a path leading Ted straight to him.
The two ran through the twisting, multitudinous passages, chasing what seemed to be the obviously guilty party. He discovered the man, brawny and bearded, and before long, the usual line of questions revealed his guilt. A follow-up investigation of the killer's home would uncover his wife's wedding ring; a missing valuable of the victim's. A gruesome nuptial dispute; may god have mercy on his soul.
That dark news aside, it seemed like another victory for justice, and Ted tried to derive what happiness he could from the success, praising Trevenant for his arboreal help. That happiness would soon be cut short, however, as his meddling with nature finally caught the scorn of a fairy, who was none too happy.
She was beautiful and fair, of course, in keeping with the namesake. She was also very, very cross, to the point of threatening both of them with a curse should they ever befoul her alleged domain again. Ted was ready to rebuke her for daring to suggest Trevenant could be anything less than innocent, before the dutiful pokemon tugged at his arm. Trevenant wanted peace, apparently, and Ted wouldn't defy him just to stir conflict with a fairy, even if she could turn him into a toad or something.
They made their way out of the woods, and Ted dropped off the criminal husband with the authorities. One problem solved, another begotten. For what must've been the first time, even Ted noticed how deeply distraught his pokemon was. He tried to comfort, but nothing stuck. What had gotten into him? Maybe someone else would know. Letting Trevenant alone with his mysterious, animal thoughts, Ted went to the network with a worried, tender tone.]
"Has anyone er, ever had success in comforting a tree monster?
...eheh, probably not. It's just, ah, Trevenant, my pet, has always been merry and gay. Today was a rough day for the two of us and he's taken it rather hard. I've never seen him this sullen and upset before. I tried the usual efforts, of course. Telling him I love him and offering his favorite food and patting his trunk, to no avail. Maybe all he needs is time, although...well, if anyone has advice or wants to try their hand at raising his spirit, they're welcome."
[Wandering passersby on the outskirts of Fayren would see a depressed Trevenant, propping up his 'forehead' with his hand and looking sadly contemplative. Ted, clownishly dressed as always, sat silently on the grass nearby with a mildly concerned expression.]
This worked out wonderfully for Ted, for he had a pokemon that could speak and move the woods in their entirety. He summoned Trevenant, the Elder Tree pokemon, who went to work asking if any suspicious men, possibly with a lot of valuables on them, had come into the forest recently. The collective of trees and other woody fauna created a path leading Ted straight to him.
The two ran through the twisting, multitudinous passages, chasing what seemed to be the obviously guilty party. He discovered the man, brawny and bearded, and before long, the usual line of questions revealed his guilt. A follow-up investigation of the killer's home would uncover his wife's wedding ring; a missing valuable of the victim's. A gruesome nuptial dispute; may god have mercy on his soul.
That dark news aside, it seemed like another victory for justice, and Ted tried to derive what happiness he could from the success, praising Trevenant for his arboreal help. That happiness would soon be cut short, however, as his meddling with nature finally caught the scorn of a fairy, who was none too happy.
She was beautiful and fair, of course, in keeping with the namesake. She was also very, very cross, to the point of threatening both of them with a curse should they ever befoul her alleged domain again. Ted was ready to rebuke her for daring to suggest Trevenant could be anything less than innocent, before the dutiful pokemon tugged at his arm. Trevenant wanted peace, apparently, and Ted wouldn't defy him just to stir conflict with a fairy, even if she could turn him into a toad or something.
They made their way out of the woods, and Ted dropped off the criminal husband with the authorities. One problem solved, another begotten. For what must've been the first time, even Ted noticed how deeply distraught his pokemon was. He tried to comfort, but nothing stuck. What had gotten into him? Maybe someone else would know. Letting Trevenant alone with his mysterious, animal thoughts, Ted went to the network with a worried, tender tone.]
"Has anyone er, ever had success in comforting a tree monster?
...eheh, probably not. It's just, ah, Trevenant, my pet, has always been merry and gay. Today was a rough day for the two of us and he's taken it rather hard. I've never seen him this sullen and upset before. I tried the usual efforts, of course. Telling him I love him and offering his favorite food and patting his trunk, to no avail. Maybe all he needs is time, although...well, if anyone has advice or wants to try their hand at raising his spirit, they're welcome."
[Wandering passersby on the outskirts of Fayren would see a depressed Trevenant, propping up his 'forehead' with his hand and looking sadly contemplative. Ted, clownishly dressed as always, sat silently on the grass nearby with a mildly concerned expression.]
[Action]
Oh...hello, Ted...
[It's only then that she notices the unnatural pose of the tree next to him, causing her to jump with a start. It's almost terrifying to see a tree in that position, but she can almost sense its sadness as well. Obviously this was no ordinary tree.]
What's...going on with this tree? [She asks lightly.]
Re: [Action]
"Ah, good evening, Liora. Good to see you. How have things been?"
[Trevenant got mixed reception for his looks, for good reason. His lone, crimson eye unnerved, and his six spider-like roots he ran around on didn't help things. At present he had a statuesque stillness natural to trees to round out the spooky ensemble. All on top of being a ghost type by half. Of course, Ted had gotten used to these things. At least he wasn't as large as most trees, barely standing at five feet.
Ted beckoned Liora to come closer and lowered his voice for the sake of intimacy, though Trevenant were so absorbed in his thoughts it may not have mattered.]
Ah, that's Trevenant. He--that is, we were both chewed out by an alleged fairy-steward of the woods. She called him...foul, and said that if we didn't speedily exit her forest, she'd put us in our place. Now he's...well, you can see for yourself. It's not like him to be so glum; I'm worried.
[Action]
[She still has her worries, but doesn't want to dump them on everyone, especially when they have their own worries. She listens to his story curiously.]
Well...I don't know if there's anything I can say that could make him feel better. Perhaps he just needs time? The feeling should pass...
Re: [Action]
"Yes, passions can't help but fade. The elements that birthed them, however, are inveterate, and I believe it's those he's contending with. Only feeble-mindedness could erode them, and Trevenant's a rather too clever beast to get bliss by ignorance.
That said...I don't think you have to worry about saying something particularly profound. Perhaps the simple kindness of a stranger would do him good."
[Action]
I'm...confused. What sort of passions does he have? What elements is he contending with?
Re: [Action]
"Isn't it plain? Just look at the poor creature." [Then again, Trevenant wasn't the most expressive pokemon in the world; hard to do when your face is made of wood.]
"He appears to be feeling...doubt, sorrow, guilt, shame, anxiety. Something along those lines. It must be a severe feeling to overwhelm his usual good cheer. The vilification of that fairy must've struck him to the root. On top of that, we had aims to capture an uxoricide. I doubt he knows, intellectually at least, the darkness of that crime. It may have brought a dark cloud on him anyway.
As I said, it's been a rough day."
[Action]
[Ted might know that feeling quite well...]
We just move on the best we can...
Re: [Action]
[Yup, Ted's earned his fair share of scorn, many times for simply telling the truth. He intends to go a great deal farther in that direction.]
"You think he is suffering from mere dislike? Blown back by the 'winds of hate'?" [He thought about it, then shook his head.] "No. He is silly, but not so silly as that. Popularity can't matter to him so much. He must believe there's something in it, whatever I say. Something too substantial to sweep under the rug."
[Action]
Now I'm really confused. But then...it sounds like you don't really understand either...
Re: [Action]
"In other words, the words of that fairy and the atmosphere of that meeting must have stirred some ugly truth he can't quite shake. Or at least the impression thereof.
No, alas. The speech of pokemon--that is, of those like him--isn't entirely intelligible to me, though it works the other way around."
[Action]
[She tilts her head curiously at the familiar term.]
So he's a...Pokemon, too?
Re: [Action]
"Sorry? Liora, you haven't even tried."
[Action]
[That accusation just makes her freeze for a moment, as she stares at him with eyes wide.]
What do you mean I haven't tried? You know there's nothing I can say that will change the truth. You should know that better than I do. Otherwise, you would have already been able to cheer him up.
[Then she stops, remembering a so-called "truth" that he had told her some time ago. A "truth" that wasn't really true at all.]
But come to think of it, you do have a twisted definition of truth, don't you?
Re: [Action]
"I mean you haven't acted." [Seemed simple enough. He held up two fingers.]
"You're mixing two things. The facts are one thing, his feelings about them are another. He might be able to meet those facts very differently if he felt better. You might be able to effect that, if you tried."
[Action]
Um...you do realize that I don't know what "facts" are making him feel depressed...do you not?
Re: [Action]
"Is knowing so important? One so rarely knows another's mind. I do not think it's essential in touching another's heart."
[Action]
Touching his heart, huh? Is that all he needs?
[Regardless of what Ted's answer would be, Liora cautiously approaches the tree. Slowly, she reaches out towards the middle of its trunk. She isn't sure what it'll accomplish, if anything. She just hopes the tree wouldn't attack, because plant-based attacks could easily kill her. Carefully, she tries to rest her talon flat on its trunk.]
Re: [Action]
"Heh, not all, but it might help."
[He's relieved that Liora's finally taking action. His humor increased when he saw just how literal that action was. Is she actually going for his physical heart? Ted's not even sure he has that organ. He might have to give her a crash course on metaphor. He's trying to hold in his tittering if it really gets that absurd.]
[Trevenant's pink eye went to the side as Liora approached. The rest lay very still, hardly a twig twitching or a leaf rustling. The eye shifts downwards upon seeing her reach toward his trunk, offering no resistance to contact. Like all pokemon, he likes being pet almost everywhere, though pets usually went further. Even in sadness, Trevenant remembers manners, and makes the usual introductions with the usual Poke-speech.]
[Action]
[She doesn't actually pet the creature but instead just lets her talon rest on its trunk. However, she gasps, quickly pulling her appendage away when it begins its Poke-speech.]
It...it talks!? Wh...what's it saying...?
Re: [Action]
[He'd have chided a little for saying 'it' and speaking as if Trev. wasn't there, but...baby steps.]
[Trevenant turned his eye back to the ground and sank a little more into himself, speaking with a creaking, despondent mumble.]
[Action]
[The little dragon reaches out to lay her talon on the tree's trunk again while bowing her head.]
I am Liora. I'm sorry I can't understand your...speech...
[She glances at Ted again.]
Could he possibly write?
Re: [Action]
"No, I don't think he's literate. He likes to draw though." [He fished some supplies form his bag.>] "I've colored pencils and a sketchpad, if either of you'd like."
[Trevenant turned his head toward Ted, some small interest ignited in the prospect of coloring.]
no subject
no subject
[ Strike a pose!]
[Just the image of Trevenant in a goofy stance made Ted smile.]
Though I wouldn't get too caught up in the connotation, mind. He's perfectly pleasant.
[video]
Re: [video]
[Thanks for clarifying that, Ace.]
Eheh, well he's too out-and-about to get much benefit from the soil. A very deracinated beast. My thanks for the suggestion all the same.
[video]
Re: [video]
[Video]
[Abel is curious. If monster trees can eat food? How unusual.]
Re: [Video]
Oh, he can eat a great deal. Berries are his favorite, being one especially attuned to nature and her bounty. But candy is all right too; poetic, even. Something sweet to soothe a spirit o'ercrowed with bitterness. Ah, and don't worry about malnutrition. I'm certain he can exercise it off with ease. I get the feeling the gesture itself will be plenty on its own.