#moralconstruct

Send "Plushie" for Emmet to fund his wedding to get a cute plushie as a souvenir from TeraFest'23 ( @moral-construct )

"I am Emmet! I would like to remind you that Darkrai is still banned from the Battle Subway! But not from this booth!! Thanks for your order and for being here! I love you!"

In this dreamscape, it's so easy to get lost.

The realm does not acknowledge time, so the odd temple--tangled up in its distorted fabric--has not completely fallen to decay just yet, despite the lengthy absence of its leader. The realm does not acknowledge space, so the dirty floor seems to shift when stepped on, the cathedral's high ceiling flickering with signs of interdimensional rot (shadowy mold that seems to slither away when perceived.)

Standing like statues behind the crumbling altar, an obscured choir sings in unintelligible tongues. They have been singing for a while, since nobody has told them to stop. And despite the unnatural reverberation of their voices and the deterioration surrounding their stage, the singers' melody remains beautiful. Hauntingly soothing.

How long has Cyrus been here?

He sits alone in a pew that's overgrown with shadowy, tendril-like vines, scattered stone fragments lying at his feet. Jupiter perches next to her former superior, sharp features masked with an unbothered expression.

They both remain silent for a while, listening to the disembodied siren song.

Send a ✏️ and I'll share a scenario or plot I want to explore.

KICKING DOWN THE DOOR--OH DO I???? I HAVE SO MANY IDEAS, NOT MANY WOULD WORK BUT LET ME THROW.

Things to keep in mind: Emmet and Cyrus' worldviews could mesh well. Emmet agrees that the world is imperfect, and his hatred of gods would make him inclined to agree with Cyrus' actions on using gods to achieve a perfect world.

These are more... feeling-based, rather than action, but action could be built upon them;

The Devil's Train: (Big inspo) What if Ingo never returned from Hisui, and Emmet sought Giratina to get answers. And since a part of Cyrus' soul is in Distortion World, he could tell Emmet trespassing into it? An unlikely pair who could become partners-in-crime, and even if they do not take direct action, Emmet would swear loyalty to Nivalis/Cyrus after the initial interactions, and would act as his right-hand man? Let's get this bread (recreate the world).

Pushing the Limits of Time: my Em is connected to Dialga and Reshiram, and what if this connection was literal? What if Nivalis could connect the dots that Em is actually a fragment of Dialga (and Ingo is of Palkia), and could push this to his advantage, and achieve control over time through Em as the proxy (and perhaps control over space too) ? Em thinking he found a friend in Cyrus, but slowly pushed to limit and reconnecting with the godly aspect instead of fulfilling Dialga's wish to experience being a normal human. The happy/carefree man could be broken down to get access to real power >:3

We Go Way Back: WHAT IF... After Emmet ran away from home, Ingo and Emmet ended up with Team Galactic --they had literally nowhere to go, and suffered enough to buy into the idea of perfect world and how emotions sucked. I think Em would be 18 when Cyrus was defeated? We could have plot for Galactic days, or post-Galactic where Emmet 'befriends' Nivalis, not realizing who he actually is. Just... Nivalis connected to a loyal soldier from his past, while Emmet is conflicted or kept in dark.

Karma Is Real: A different take to Em being born of Dialga's wish to be human-- what if Emmet and Nivalis' tracks met often due to all the Galactic shenanigans prior, and Nivalis cannot get rid of this smiley headache-- and maybe does not want to end contact due to realizing what Em is before he notices. (Yes I am rotating my Dialga!Em in my mind and I want to throw at Cyrus.)

I just adore Nivalis and want Emmet to bother him and serve him, whether as a happy distraction who could learn so much from Nivalis, or as a soldier >:)

WHAT YU-GI-OH! DECK WOULD YOUR MUSE PLAY? / accepting!

Cyrus plays PURE STUN CONTROL.

[The aim of any stun deck is to stop your opponent from doing anything, thus 'stunning' them. You are essentially telling your opponent that they are not allowed to play the game of Yu-Gi-Oh! Effective stun strategies use cards that prevent your opponent from summoning monsters and/or activating the effects on any of their cards, using things like FOSSIL DYNA PACHYCEPHALO and SKILL DRAIN to effectively lock opponents out of the Duel. Many people loathe stun decks because such decks stifle flashy actions and big, drawn-out plays while creating a feeling of helplessness, but stats don't lie--despite being seen as 'boring,' these decks consistently get wins.

A deck fully dedicated to Stun strategies prevents any expression or unpredictable actions from the opponent's end of the table, which is why I think the deck makes a perfect fit for Cyrus and his dream of an emotionless world. Any opponent who challenges him is going to be trapped in a Duel with most (if not all of their cards) shut off, for a very long time...]

Ever since joining Team Galactic, Jupiter had always found herself thrown off by the sheer simplicity of Cyrus's office quarters. Even now, with Galactic perched at the apex of its Sinnohan influence, the boss's professional domain lies nearly barren, its layout almost indistinguishable from the humble workrooms designated for grunts several tiers below his station. Yes, despite Galactic's aggressive rise to power, despite having a massive overflow of resources at his disposal, Cyrus never once appeared to indulge in the careful empire that he had constructed, his gaze never straying from that ultimate, unknowable goal.

Perhaps, Jupiter thinks to herself, standing beside her fellow Commanders in the unadorned room, that conviction is what makes him so admirable.

Cyrus speaks, and they all listen--his direct, unwavering voice seems to fill the uncomplicated space (perhaps by intentional design.) As he outlines the next steps of Galactic's rapidly unfurling plan, Jupiter twitches, a slight frown creasing her severe features. Ancient temples, old ruins...she does not care one iota for Sinnoh's crusty, outdated histories, but begrudgingly reconciles the reasoning behind this exploration with herself--sometimes you had to look back to move forward, even if you preferred to stay focused on the future...

Her frown flickers away, as quickly as it had arrived. She doesn't dare to bite the hand that has provided her with so much opportunity. Not yet, anyways.