Poppin' Arms Guild ~ Main Lobby

[Virgil134]

"Well, there will be no shortage of attacks, so that shouldn't be a problem this fight," Cabot mused, before blinking at Bahamut's comment about Blacklight powers. "And well, Radiant and Shadow attacks are pretty useful..." He thought back a moment to the conversation he had with Astrid in the infirmary. "You just gotta use it in small amounts."

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut grunted. “I think some of our allies struggle with moderation. They blow themselves up like they’re fireworks. I admire the tenacity, but I fear this fight is not one where they can get away with suicidal strategies.”

 

[Virgil134]

"You're not wrong there, I suppose," Cabot sighed. "But I have faith that they'll learn how to handle it, and I'll try to help anyone I can who is struggling. I know one of them is trying to do better at least." He thought back to their last battle for a moment, where Astrid exploded not once, but twice. "I think..."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Power of this nature can be alluring to those who aren't used to it," Bahamut mused, a spark of light dancing between two of his claws. "Especially when the world is giving everyone ample opportunity to put the powers to work." A pensive pink overtook his eyes and core. "I wonder... if we knock Joule out, will it purge the shadows and leave only radiance? No doubt that's what he's used to. But what if this ordeal has left him... unstable?

"It didn't occur to me during the strategy meeting... yet now I can't help but think about how much Maple described Joule's attacks and techniques." He frowned. "It's almost like she was almost trying to dissuade us from fighting to free Joule from corruption. As if, perhaps, she realized after seeing all of us that there's a very real possibility that a successful fight will lead to Joule exploding in a burst of radiance anyway. She might think she's going to lose him whether we can purify him or not."

Bahamut shook his head. "Or maybe I'm just paranoid."

 

[Virgil134]

"Huh?" Cabot tilted his head. "I don't think Maple did that? She certainly warned us about how strong Joule's attacks and techniques are, but I didn't get the feeling that she was trying to discourage us by doing that. If anything it seemed more like the opposite, since at the crossroads she talked about how Joule's a danger to the world, and how he has to be killed if defeating him doesn't stop him."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Is that so?" Bahamut tapped a claw against his armored back. "Her first reaction to seeing Joule in the Reverse World was to attack him." He sighed. "So, I don't know. Like I said, I'm probably paranoid. But I do think we ought to prepare for the possibility that Joule might just try to take everything down with him."

 

[Virgil134]

"I suppose it won't hurt to prepare for that?" Cabot replied. "Though I really do think we can take Joule down before anything like that can happen, and fighting him in an uninhabited part of the Reverse World is probably the best precaution we can take in case it does, which we're already planning on doing."

 

[Ambyssin]

"I think we can do that, sure." Bahamut looked down. "However, when Eternatus damaged my core, I lost my light in a tremendous explosion. I'm just saying we need to be ready for the possibility he'll explode involuntarily."

He turned away. "But at this point... whatever happens happens. I've taken enough of your time."

 

[Virgil134]

"Well, let's hope things will work different for Joule when we defeat him then," Cabot said. "But, right... see you around then."

He hesitated a moment, before turning around and making his way for the stairs leading up to the dorms. All the while he couldn't help but wonder if something had changed about Bahamut. The Necrozma he'd gotten to know the past few months never would have apologized for his behavior at the infirmary... or given positive encouragement during the strategy meeting at Destiny Tower for that matter. Whatever it was, he hoped it was here to stay.

<><><>​

 

[Chibi Pika]

It had been a long, long day. Even though the team had known all along how much time they had before the inevitable showdown with Joule, the days still dragged like mud. First there'd been the tournament to look forward to, but then after that, it was hard to get too invested in anything with the mission looming literally overhead. Any and all distractions were welcome.

Starr walked in through the guild's main entrance, her bag stuffed full of purchases after spending most of the day shop browsing. A lot of it had been supplies for the fight but at least some of it was for herself...

 

[Fusion]

"You think we got everything we need?" Puddle asked, dangling off of Vix's arms as she floated overhead. "We can always go to the store again if you wanna? Better safe than sorry, ya know?"

Vix shook her head, breathing in sharply and exhaling. "No, no I think we're alright. Three shopping trips should be enough already, we don't need a fourth."

"Then why're we heading out again? We ain't got nothin' to do outside, so why not stay inside? Also pull me up," Puddle asked and said, noticing the Torracat he was heading towards before Vix did.

"I just wanna get some fresh air, again. I gotta be ready ready for this, and I'm only ready."

"That's cool, but can you pull me up?"

"I can't let myself get distracted again when there's a fight right in front of me!"

"Vix please."

"I gotta look straight up ahead and not let things get under my--" Vix was cut short by the sound of essentially jello flopping against fur. A familiar sound back home, surprisingly. She looked down to see Puddle slouched over Starr's side, bubbling and glaring back at her, and pretty much instantly went purple in the cheeks. "Sorry sorry sorry! My bad! Why didn't you tell me to--"

Puddle gave Vix a "Bitch, really?" look, which stopped her real quick.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"What the shit?!"

Starr blinked incredulously at the amorphous shade that had splattered onto her back out of nowhere. Then she glanced around for the source before looking up and seeing Vix floating overhead.

"Uh, I think you dropped something," she said flatly.

 

[Fusion]

"I-I'm sorry!" Vix stammered, floating back to pull Puddle off of Starr. "I think I was somewhere else, hehe..." she said nervously, then noticing who she bumped into. Starr. And so soon after everything. "H-Hey, also..."

Puddle fell onto its back, letting go of Vix to drops its arms on the ground with a flop. It then recombined itself, sporting a bright grin. "Yo, someone I actually wanted Vix to meet up with! Starr right?" it asked.

Vix was feeling better, yeah, but deep down she still felt guilty about what happened with Starr. But, if Starr didn't even remember, then maybe Vix would feel good about it? That's what Puddle thought, at least. Or hoped.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr raised an eyebrow at Puddle. "That's me, yeah. What'd you need?"

Vix sure looked flustered, huh. Maybe it had something to do with the tournament earlier? Her team had been eliminated round 1, which did kinda suck because Starr had to admit she'd been looking forward to squaring up against Astrid. Not to mention all the weird shit that the Lampent was known for pulling off with that wax of hers.

 

[Fusion]

Ah, so she didn't remember. Maybe. Puddle was somewhat relieved with that, it meant this would go a whole lot smoother than Vix would have thought. "I just wanted to--"

"I'm, sorry..." Vix said, her flame dimming slightly. "Not just for Puddle, but during the fight with Giovanni. I got him pissed at me, and I completely forgot about that and tried to use Ally Switch and... got you Paralyzed, and attacked... I'm sorry for that."

"Er, yeah... that. Wanted to get that out in the air and off Vix's chest. Or lack of one." Puddle wasn't expecting Vix to just outright say it, but hey, they were ripping that bandage off really quick. Puddle even saw Vix tense up, waiting for some sort of retaliation from Starr, but Puddle doubted that would happen.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Fuck, that's right. That moment in the fight against Giovanni, when she'd suddenly traded places with Vix and found herself bombarded by attacks one after another. Just thinking back on it made her throat clench with the burning frustration of trying to land a followup attack on the boss while her limbs locked up with paralysis and...

Starr glanced away with a huff. "I... look, I'm not gonna pretend like I wasn't pissed about it when it happened, but..." But it just felt so stupid to care about it now. Not when there was so much other bullshit to deal with. "One fuckup didn't cost us the mission, so it's whatever. We've gotta all have each other's back when fighting Joule."

 

[Fusion]

Fuck, she remembered. Puddle's grin vanished from its face entirely, and it took a quick glance at Vix. She was holding up well, it seemed. As in, she only partially melted. A big step up from entirely falling apart. But, just in case, Puddle kept itself close to Vix.

"I-I..." Vix shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. Starr wasn't mad mad, just... a tad upset. Slightly nettled. Mildly aggravated. That's all. It'd be best for the lamp not to think about whether or not Starr was just being nice and keeping her anger under wraps. "Still, I'm really, really sorry. I wanted to help, but I totally forgot about how pissed Giovanni was at me. We're lucky things didn't go entirely south from that."

For the rest of the team, at least. Vix rested her arm against the satchel she carried, feeling the pokeball she still hadn't gotten rid of, and sighed. "I-I'll do better next time. I promise."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Dammit. It wasn't like Starr was trying to give Vix shit about what happened. Why'd she have to look so pitiful.

Starr rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "...Look, shit happens. I didn't realize that would happen either, so... call it even. Or if you wanna make it up to me, I dunno... you've got a lot of weird tricks to protect people in fights, yeah? Uh, other than Ally Switch I mean."

 

[Fusion]

Vix lit back up and nodded. Starr wasn't mad after all? Gods, what a relief! "Yeah, and most of it has to do with my wax. I was even coming up with another special move earlier, something to keep us hitting as hard as possible, but... trying to get my shadows to do what I want outside of battle is harder than it seems, hehe."

"This is the first I'm hearing of it, actually," Puddle pouted, crossing its arms. At least Vix was alright, again. "I wonder how strong it's gonna be..."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr raised an eyebrow. Well that sure was a quick mood turnaround. She wasn't gonna complain though. "Yeah, that wax really saved Owen's ass the other night. Don't think I've ever felt it, though. What should I expect?"