Destiny Colosseum ~ Training Rooms

[Cresselia92]

"I couldn't even get a hit in, and Starr is so cruel. She knew I'd freeze on the spot the moment she came running at me like a fiery cannonball." Cynthian sighed in exasperation and pursed her lips.

Icetales winced at hearing that. As someone who also didn't fare well against fire attacks, he could sympathize with that sentiment.

"Yes, I can imagine..." he muttered. "I apologize thou had to go through all of that. If I was more reactive, maybe thou wouldn't have been hurt so much. I... truly apologize for that."

"What happened when I passed out? Did they pile their attacks on you too? I know we lost, but... sorry you had to clean up after me."

"No, I... forfeited," replied Icetales a bit hesitantly, before looking away in embarrassment. "I had no hope in fighting against two powerhouses like Nip and Starr all by myself. I am... no good offensive duelist, so I decided to surrender. It is ideal to avoid unnecessary hurt, especially when thou art so hopelessly outclassed."

 

[Adamhuarts]

Cynthian looked down, remorseful. Icetales had to forfeit, because she wasn't there to help him. She walked up to him and hugged his leg.

"I'm sorry... I was supposed to be the sword while you were the shield, but what good is a sword that doesn't even hit anything," Cynthian said, holding her forehead pinned against him.

"Even when others tell me I'm strong, I know I'm still weak. That's probably why they went after me first, the easy target." Her flowers gave off a melancholic lavender scent as she groaned.

 

[Cresselia92]

"I respectfully disagree. I reckon that they went after thee because thou were the biggest threat," pointed out Icetales, patting Cynthian on her back with the other forepaw. "Thou were the one who could rival them both in firepower, and I reckon that thy Solar Beam would have done a hefty number on either of them. They targeted thee because they were scared of thy abilities -- I could smell their tension, even if it was faint.

"So no, thou art not weak. Thou have more power than what thou believe."

The Ninetales stayed quiet for some time, before sighing as he registered the lavender scent.

"I might have been trying to be a support for our cortege, but I was no much support here. If I could just... channel my Protect on thee and take that assault on myself, I would have done that without a question."

 

[Adamhuarts]

"You'd have probably done better if you were paired up with someone else. Last time I paired up with Brisa to spar with Astrid and Cabot, we lost too. Even back then, I was no help at all," Cynthian said, breaking away from him and walking a few steps away. She wiped her face with her back turned to him. Cynthian absolutely wasn't on the verge of crying.

"I still have a long way to go before I can reach where she was," Cynthian muttered, referring to her mother. "I'll have to try even harder now, so I'll stop being a burden to others around me."

 

[Cresselia92]

"Thou art no burden. Do not even let that thought infest thy mind," said Icetales firmly, before walking toward Cynthian. "And if it is of any comfort, I... I am glad I had thee as my companion. Truly. Even if I knew beforehand how the duel would have ended, I would have picked thee as my partner, anyway."

He wagged his tails, while his voice became gentler. "We might have lost, yes, but... I much prefer having lost alongside a trusted friend than some mostly unknown acquaintance. At least we were together until the bitter end, and we can learn from this experience.

"And no, I shall not let thee say that 'never partnering up again' was the lesson here. What we need is… to become stronger, together. I know I… do not desire to be a disappointment for our cortège, either."

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Stronger... together..." Those words made Cynthian's heart flutter, and she couldn't help but smile through her glistening eyes. She turned around and walked back to Icetales, making eye contact with him for the first time in that conversation.

"You know... I was really happy when you asked me to be your partner," Cynthian said with an awkward chuckle. "Even though it turned out the way it did, I won't mind losing again if I'm with you..."

"That's not to say I want us to always win. Let us... get stronger, together, as you said." She smiled at him in earnest, and her flowers gave off a tangy scent while she did.

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales grinned and wagged his tails harder — seeing a comrade smile was like a panacea for his heart.

“I am very much pleased to hear these words, Miss Cynthian. I could not have asked for a better partner.”

His ears flicked and he looked at the walls — the crowd had grown even louder, if not more frenzied. He tilted his head and glanced again at his companion.

“Hmm, shall we go cheer for our comrades or something? Thou know, we could even learn something from watching some more experienced battlers, dost thou not agree? And some other time, well, we could duel again?”

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Oh, yes for sure. I want to watch Starr fight more, and Brisa too!" Cynthian said with a chuckle.

When they were about to leave, Cynthian stood there staring at Icetales expectantly. She wanted to climb up into his mane again, but felt too embarrassed to ask.

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales was already halfway through the door, when he noticed that Cynthian had stopped and was staring intently at him. Or, rather, at his mane. He tilted his head, showing a quizzical expression.

“Um… Is there something in my mane?” he asked, running a forepaw through his silver fur, which sparkled with each swipe. “Is it tangled, or…?”

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Oh, no, no, it's in pristine condition! If I do say so myself," Cynthian said with a nervous chuckle.

"You know, it's quite comfortable there, in your mane," she said, being as indirect as possible. "And fluffy too."

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales blinked a few times, trying to understand what Cynthian was getting at, when he remembered what she did and said before the battle started…

Cynthian's expression brightened up. Within seconds she scooted her way up Icetales' and poked her head out from between his mane.

"I like it up here," she said with a giggle.

Oh. Was that what she was aiming for? Huh… She must have really enjoyed seeing the world from a higher perspective. It was a pity that it didn’t last because they had to fight, but… it could last a bit more now, no?

“I see…”

Icetales grinned in understanding, before laying on his belly and placing his head on the floor. He motioned with his pupils toward the head, giving his full consent.

 

[Adamhuarts]

Cynthian's cheeks brightened a rose red and she scurried and climb up Icetales' mane.

"Thank you, Icetales," she said, giggling as she buried half her body in the fur. With that done, they left the training rooms and returned to their comrades.

<><><><><>

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Endless training was nothing new for Brisa, but for whatever reason it was so much more exhausting now. Maybe because she was drilling so many different moves? Or the pressure? Or just because she was working practically around the clock. Whatever. She had a list of folks with new shadow moves to test out.

[Brisket > Nazo]: How do you do, Celeste? I'm spending the next hour at the training grounds. If you'd care to join me, I've been hoping to assess your combat readiness. I hope to see you shortly! Yrs, Brisa

Brisa would train either way but... She really hoped he'd show. She'd barely seen him lately. She hit a training dummy with an electric swipe so strong the wood sizzled.

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste put down the book he was reading and checked his badge. What does "assess my combat readiness" mean?

[Nazo > Brisket] Give me a moment to get ready. I will be there soon.

Celeste poked into what he thought was the right training room, and saw Brisa warming up there. Phew, he'd half expected to go to the wrong room. "Hello, Brisa. What is it you have in store for me now?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Oh, thank stars. It was good to see the absol looking well enough.

"Howdy, Celeste! Hell, I don't think I see you around half as often as I'd like. I swear I've been meanin' to spar with ya fer more'n three months already."

Increasingly, trying to engage in small talk was producing a certain itch, a certain impulse to get on with things.

"So, I take it you've heard how we've all been manifestin' new radiant and shadow abilities since our run-in with more radiant foes and the return of Diyem. I'm hopin' to figure out what you're packin', see if it's somethin' that could come in handy against Joule."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Celeste nodded. "Ah. I don't quite know how to spar per se. Never been in a fight with someone who wasn't either too absurdly powerful for me to kill... or was prey I was supposed to eat." He laughed an awkward laugh. "I don't know what the rules are for friendly combat... but I suppose I can give it a shot."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

So, Celeste really never fought recreationally? That . . . just wasn't how pokémon ought to be. Well, every world had its own culture, she supposed. She gave Celeste the short version of the spiel on sparring etiquette, and a couple of pointers that might be relevant to a fellow predator. Weird how few of the posse had actually ever killed for a meal. Weird how long it had been since Brisa had ended a life.

"Alright," she said, once they were done. "I can take just about any kind of hit, but what I'm really interested in is yer new moves. Try reachin' fer those uncomfortable fuckin' feelings. We all have 'em."

May as well come clean about what was in her own heart. Seemed like it was what she was always doing, lately.

"Fer me, it's the feelin' of never bein' good enough," she said, quietly. "That's what fuels my new supercharging power."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Mhm." Celeste nodded. "I think I understand." What were those feelings for him? Radiance came with it a feeling of ferality, but Shadows... "Perhaps I'll try spitefulness. That's what helps with my existing shadow attack."

Brisa braced herself, perhaps expecting an attack, and gave the nod to go ahead.

Celeste's eyes lit up as he called upon his visual replacement for his disaster sense. He watched Brisa, waiting to see one of the paths that indicated Brisa would move... None came. He wasn't quite sure what to do if he was supposed to start. "Are... are we going to start now?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Wait, the absol didn't even feel comfortable making the first move, even after an invitation? Brisa would start, then. Too bad for him!

"Alright, Celeste. I'm fuckin' comin' for ya."

Brisa surged with power as first her Arclight, and then her Overcharge sparked off. She held back her power, not wanting to wind Celeste before he could get an attack off, but still hit him with a golden Whiplash that pumped him full of blacklight energy and, in turn, let her call out to his own feelings–!

"C'mon, Celeste! Show me what's in yer heart! Fight me, goddamnit!"

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Okay, good. Brisa was starting after all. Celeste observed the glow coming his way, and lept out of the affected area. Avoiding the attack came with a certain satisfaction. He wanted to punish the missed attack, and his shadows obliged him.

"That's the shadow I'm familiar with. But I should be able to do more with it by now, is our problem, no?"

How am I supposed to do something else with this same power?