[Valorie Ryder]

(( TartoonHand94 I'm giving you first dibs ))

...How long ago was it that Valorie has ascended her mortality? She wasn't entirely sure anymore. Time wasn't her domain. But today, she was going to ascend again. When Valorie absorbed Viridi's power, she took enough of it for long enough that she became atuned to it. It was now a part of her, making her a de facto nature goddess. However, when she'd twisted and used that divine power to practice necromancy she had inadvertantly breached outside of her domain, taking command of life as a primordial force and depriving death of its power, dramatically shattering the balance between the two. This had caused her to begin radiating a chaotic aura.

Now the mirage had given her a new source of divinity. A magic staff with godly love powers in it. It wasn't attached to any particular deity, so she'd been attuning herself to its power in the same way she had Viridi's. Today was the day that came to fruition.

But what did one get when they mixed nature and love? At first glance, you might assume that there's no bridge for these two powers to intermingle with each other, two completely separate concepts. Yet, one would be wrong. There is... one way in which love and nature can combine to form something new and unique.

...A shockwave of divine energy and chaos ripped through time and space, changing the nature of the world forever in ways mortals probably wouldn't even be aware of, yet gods might find deeply unsettling. To a god, or another suitably divine-aware individual, it was as if an earthquake gripped their minds eye. A sense of unease, of instability wracking the universe. It was the feeling of the divine fabric of reality ripping and tearing, re-arranging itself to make room for an entirely new domain for which there existed no name in the common tongue and to which no mortal was capable of describing adequetly. Change was coming, and its harbinger could be found at the source, the pulsing shockwaves rippling across space-time acting like beacons as they guided anyone who so cared to investigate...

...toward Sunshine Stadium.

Valorie stood with her back to the wall of the coloseum, just kinda waiting for some fool to offer themselves up so that she could test out the results of her newfound power. Yet, as she stood there she couldn't help but feel that something was ...off. She no longer felt like herself. She looked down at her hands, but they looked and felt slightly alien to her. Likewise, her memories felt ... disjointed, somehow. As if she were watching someone else from the sidelines. In her heart, she knew that a part of her humanity had left her when she accepted that power. The sneaking suspicion that she'd gone too far and become something she could no longer identify with kept her mind occupied as she waited. For all the godly knowledge she had, she could not comprehend exactly what that meant for her.

Valorie Ryder 185/185 HP 65/65 Shield

[TartoonHand94]

	“Woohoo! Flying into the New Decade!”  Pit cheered as he jumped through the door in time for the Power of Flight to activate.  “So, what’s mission are we starting with, Lady Palutena?” “You ask as if you didn’t feel that massive shock wave of energy!” Palutena replied, bewildered at how casual he was being. “I just figured the neighbors were going overboard with the leftover fireworks.”  Pit shrugged innocently. “No, Pit. That wasn’t just any cracker launcher.  That was a pulse the likes of which have never before been felt.  Even compared to the waves that brought us to Li.”  She elaborated ominously. “Woah! We can’t possibly ignore something this big!”  Pit gasped, sobering up and getting his serious face on.
	“Glad to see you’re catching on Pit. But there’s more to it than that:  It was…divine in nature. A familiar sort of divine.” “But we just busted Thanatos! What’s the Underworld Army up to Now?” Pit groaned with annoyance.  “It’s not the Underworld Army.”  She solemnly shook her head.  “…Don’t the Forces of Nature have their hands full?”  Pit suggested, understandably confused. “It’s not the-Well, it sort of is…” Palutena tensely tried to explain.  “I recognize this energy as Viridi’s power…  But it’s not her: it’s the one responsible for her disappearance.” “So Thanatos really Didn’t know what happened to her after all?”  Pit gasped, covering his mouth.  “It’s about Time we got to the bottom of this! It’s been bugging me since the last decade!”  He pounded his fist, not resisting to squeeze in a little dad joke.
	“Pit, this is serious! A Goddess’s power’s being exploited by a Human! Don’t you appreciate the magnitude of that?!?”  Palutena blurted out in an abrupt but brief loss of her composure. “…What?”  Pit softly gasped, completely stunned.
	“Her name is Valorie Ryder. She was a trainer from the Pokémon Universe.”  Palutena began to brief.  “She owned a full team of Dragon and Pseudo-Dragon-Type Pokémon prior to her arrival on Li.” “So, she’s like an evil team leader, right? I think I get it:  They’re always trying to harness the power of Legendaries to warp the world in their sick twisted image!”  Pit deduced with a scowl.  “So that means, I just gotta take down her team and she’s finished, right?!” “Actually, it says here, since arriving on Li, Valorie fell in with The Magical Girl's Society, where she became a student of love magic under Princess Peach, perceiving magic as a way she could overcome the limitations she'd hit while training Pokémon.” “Aren’t you in that club too, Lady Palutena?”  Pit blinked.  “I don’t get it. If Princess Peach preaches love and sisterhood and all that cutie-cootie stuff,  why would her student use that power to kidnap Viridi?”
	“But wait, there's more: Re-entering the arena as a solo fighter instead of using her Pokémon, she went on to do ...what the wiki describes as her... ‘arguably greatest achievement’...  Defeating the Goddess of Nature, Viridi.”  Palutena recited with a shudder. “…This sounds way worse than just beating her in a Brawl…”  Pit shook his head skeptically “…She didn’t just… Beat her…”  She explained with a wince in her voice. “Then what happened???” He prodded cluelessly. “How do I put this... You know how Kirby can...”  She began to remind him of a signature ability. “Uhuh...?” “...And then use their powers?”  She followed through by reminding him of Kirby’s other signature ability. “...Uh-Wait! But-But How?!? I thought she was just a human!”  He recoiled, flabbergasted.  “Well she doesn’t exactly Call herself one anymore…”  “We’ve Gotta Stop Her! It’s bad enough when Hades ate human souls!  It was even worse when the Chaos Kin tried to eat yours-” “Okay Pit I Get It! I know.”  Palutena blurted out, losing her cool again.  “sorry.”
	“We’re both sorry. Anyway, I hope you’re ready. Because we’ve arrived at the source: Sunshine Stadium.”  She announced, descending Pit through the clouds over the stadium. “The scene of the crime. Just look at this place.  I missed so many fights here!”  Pit groaned over lost time as he touched down in the arena. “Careful you don’t miss this one. There she is.”  A green arrow materialized at Pit’s feet pointing in Valorie’s direction.
	“…Wait. That’s her? She’s almost looks like Viridi, only even more-” “Careful Pit. Considering what she’s done she’s not to be underestimated.”  Palutena rightfully warned. “Roger that.”  Pit breathed. After all the cute and cuddly, sweet and pretty enemies he fought over the years,  he was the last person he knew who should be underestimating anyone for their appearance.
	“Ahem. Attention Valorie Ryder!”  Pit cleared his voice to get her attention and began his pre-battle rally cry, striking a bombastic combat stance.  “You have the right to remain silent!  Anything you say can and will-” “-Actually, Pit. Could you stand down for a sec?  I’d like to have a word with her first.”  Palutena politely interjected. “Stand down? But Lady Palutena, she-” “-Is still a member of the sisterhood and I want to catch up.” Palutena insisted with a reassuring smile.  “We might not need to fight after all. Pit, stand down.”
	“…Yes, Lady Palutena.”  Pit nodded as he obediently lowered his weapon.  “As you wish.”  “So, Valorie. S’been a while, hasn’t it?  Loving what you’ve done with your hair.  How’ve you been, girlfriend~?”  Palutena casually greeted Valorie like the old friends she hoped they still could be.
Pit 150/150 HP 50/50 Shield

[Valorie Ryder]

Valorie paused for a moment as she recognized Palutena, Goddess of... She didn't remember. Had she ever known? She wondered quietly if Palutena knew. After a moment, she perked up and greeted Palutena with a smile. “Well... Things have been rough.” Valorie replied. “You ever just have one of those days where you feel like you can't do anything right? I've been having one of those days for a while now. Buuuut, I just got cut the biggest break of my life,so I guess things could be going worse.” she continued. “I uh... It's nice to see you, though. We don't have to fight, do we? I don't like hurting girls, let alone ladies. That'd take a lot of the fun out of testing my new abilities.” she finished in mild embarassment.

Valorie Ryder 185/185 HP 65/65 Shield

[TartoonHand94]

	“Oh honey, you wouldn’t believe how much I can relate. I’m Still picking up the pieces from the last day like that I’ve had.” Palutena chuckled with a tension breaking shrug.
	“No, we don’t need to fight at all. I for one, couldn’t bear to hurt a hair on that cute little head of yours either~.” She cooed light-heartedly. “That’s why I sent Pit instead.” She punctuated with a giggle much to Pit’s awkward smile.
	“Isn’t it so much nicer to just relax and talk out our problems? The last thing this world needs is yet another petty war.” She gently reassured Valorie, manifesting a fresh cup of tea for her if she would accept it.
	“But Valorie, if I may be real with you for a sec… I know this feels like a big break, but too soon you will find, it’s the biggest burden: With power as great as yours comes even greater responsibility.” Palutena shifted down to a more solemn tone.
	“I can tell you from experience, one little slip up, and the whole world has to pay for your mistake.” This began to sound personal. “It’s the worst thing in the world to feel you have all the power, but then realize you’re powerless to help those who need you most.” Even Pit could hear her resist getting choked up with remorse.
	“You don't want that on your conscience. Nobody wants that for you. But it doesn't have to be that way. We can help you.”
Pit 150/150 HP 50/50 Shield

[Valorie Ryder]

Valorie briefly glanced at Pit. ...Yeah, she guessed that would work. She took a moment to sip the tea she'd been given. A moment later, she returned her attention to Palutena. “...You know, enlightening myself to the nature of the universe has really changed my perspective on a lot of things. Gothy says it's called intuitive knowledge. There are things you just understand, even if you can't put them into words that other people can understand.” Valorie began, pausing a moment to sort of... really consider whether she wanted to say what was on her mind. “...When I look around me, I don't see my brothers and sisters in arms anymore. I see aliens. ...And I kind of hate them.” Valorie explained. “...They live their lives in ignorance and defiance of everything in my domain. Then they pat each other on the back because they made some small gesture that ultimately doesn't mean anything to anyone but themselves. Meanwhile, the earth below my feet is quiet. That's not normal, you know. Planets aren't supposed to be quiet if you know how to communicate with them. I hear it sometimes, though. It makes terrible noises. Sometimes I hear it and wonder if maybe Mephiles was right to consider putting it out of its misery. It's not right for someone to suffer like that. How long has it been this bad? Li couldn't have always been in this much pain, but maybe a better question is how long it would take to fix it. ...I can't actually put that feeling into words, but it's not a good one.” she continued with a light shake of her head. “It makes me wonder how petty these wars really are.” Valorie finished. For a long moment then, she would consider another question on her mind.

“...You must know how I feel, right? How do you deal with being the goddess of knowledge in a world where very few people ever really embrace the ideals you represent? How do you forgive them for lying in ignorance their entire lives, with little regard for how their complacency hurts themselves or the world around them? If gods are so powerful, why haven't we fixed this?”

Valorie Ryder 185/185 HP 65/65 Shield

[TartoonHand94]

	“Mm-hmm?” Palutena responded in an onomatopoeia with an unexplained but quickly understood inflection. Meanwhile, Pit could only scratch his head, barely keeping up with the abstract concepts Valorie was describing. He quite visibly got tense and uneasy as she went on to describe her fellow humans. “Hey that’s not fair. I mean, when you think about it, Everyone’s an alien here. Even you and me!”
	“Pit, Please.” Palutena calmly hushed her angel. “But Lady Palutena…” Pit uneasily whined through his gritted teeth. That was So the same kind of thing Medusa, Poseidon or Viridi would say about humanity before turning them to stone, drowning them or launching a Reset Bomb! How could she not be distressed by such a crimson red flag? Much to Pit’s bewilderment, Palutena kept her composure, listening intently as Valorie described what she learned from Viridi’s powers of ecological communication.
	“Indeed, I do know how it feels to dedicate my life’s work to protecting people that all my peers seem to unanimously agree are not worth saving.” Palutena admitted after a pensive pause. “It may seem true: humans are simple, selfish little creatures who are driven by greedy desire. But that’s not an inaccurate description of us gods too.” She explained rather coldly. “But that’s not all that they are. Humans are also capable of complex acts of compassion and selflessness. Sharing for the greater good what a god would never part with.” She followed with a shift in the atmosphere of her speech. “Hylia knew better than anyone the profound love humans are capable of. And it wasn’t until I took the time to look, did I see it myself.” She smiled nostalgically.
	“Now look at us. When we first met Viridi, the Goddess of Nature, you might have heard of her, she wanted nothing more than to eradicate all of mankind and us for defending it.” “I remember that day like it plays on a loop somewhere.” “Then something changed. We were faced with a common enemy in the Aurum, the Chaos Kin and Hades, and she became an invaluable ally in protecting the world, not just humanity.” “And she helps give fighting tips now!” Pit chimed in if only to remind that he was still there.
	“That’s exactly why I’m not trying to fight you, Valorie. Make no mistake, you have much to answer for, but there is a higher calling to answer to.” She made her intentions clearer. “If we are ever going to help this planet and fix this mess that whether we like it or not, we are all in, we’re going to have to work together. This Us vs Them mentality will only hinder our ability to make any progress toward any of our greater goods.”
Pit 150/150 HP 50/50 Shield

[Valorie Ryder]

Valorie sharply turned her gaze to Pit. “I don't mean aliens like from outer space. I mean I don't... feel like one of them anymore.” she explained. After listening to what Palutena had to say though, she was quiet for a moment. “...Yeah. I guess.” she relented, though her heart didn't seem to be in it. “Y'know, I used to think that if I could just find a way to become strong enough, everything would get better. That's how it looked. Just battle your way to the top and everyone'll respect you. You can do whatever you want. Maybe even go home and see your family, or finally destroy the starvia and put an end to the world's suffering. ...If you can't do it, that just means you aren't powerful enough to pull it off. But then I started to realize...” Valorie began, trailing off slightly for a moment.

“...There's an end to it. Your pokemon stop getting stronger. No matter how hard you train, you just get the same results. You learn magic and try to become stronger than they were. ...But it doesn't work. Not really. So you wait, and you see an opportunity to become a god. That's great, but nothing's really changed. Not that much. Not the way I wanted it to.” she continued, sort of shaking her head for a brief moment in rejection. “...I don't even know what I'm fighting for anymore. The fleeting sense of fun? ...Just to live? ...Yeah. Well, I think I'm done. If you really want my help fighting the starvia, you've got it. But until you need me, I think I'm just going to ...go try and find my other pokemon, somewhere.” Valorie explained. Without further ado, she moved to begin walking back out of the arena!

((Cancelling the match! There's no fight to be had here after all.))

[TartoonHand94]

	“I… think I get it… When you hit the level cap… There’s no levels left.” And with the shift in the mood of the encounter, so shifted Pit’s understanding of Valorie. Much to his surprise, he found her desire to become stronger very relatable. “But y’know what? When you’ve 100% completed Solo Mode, there’s nothing left to play but Together Mode.” Pit gently tried to offer advice from his own experience. “And if you play it right... It lasts forever, know what I mean?” He uneasily explained, unsure if his metaphor came across.
	“I think what Pit’s trying to say is, true strength doesn’t come from power alone. It comes from courage and love. It’s not about how strong you are now, but how strong you can be when you’re needed most.” Palutena tried to translate. “You can’t solve all the world’s problems by yourself, but you don’t have to do it alone either. Not when you have friends to help you. And when you fill your world with friends, you just might help the world after all.” “…I think you made that even more vague, Lady Palutena.” “Just a little something to chew on while you figure things out.” Palutena winked with her typical ambiguity.
	“So… Wait, are we just… Letting her go?” Pit scratched his head in realization as Valorie began to leave. “Lady Palutena, didn’t we come here to-?” “We came to prevent a disaster of transcendental proportions, Pit. And that’s exactly what we did.” Palutena calmly clarified. “Think about it: We’ve destroyed a potential threat…”
	“…By making her our ally! Those are some next level mind games, Lady Palutena!” “I prefer to think of it as the optimal strat.” She sighed in relief. “But man, what’ll Viridi think when she finds out about this…” “Well at least we know how to deal with what She thinks…”
	“Hey Valorie! Wait up!” Pit waved, trying to catch up with her. “If you need some help finding your other Pokémon…” “You’ve got it!”
Pit 150/150 HP 50/50 Shield