Poppin' Arms ~ Holding Cells

[RJR Basimilus]

Seyka shook his head. “He purports not to like the one similar to himself, but won’t say why.”

The Skarmory paused. “Ah, I never asked about that though.”

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded. "We're already aware that yer also opposed to Giovanni. You oughta be helpin' us nab the bastard, instead of meddlin' with us by way of that sorry sonofabitch lucario. Would you mind explainin' yer agenda, t'begin with? We can see eye to eye all the sooner if'n we know what drives ya."

 

[Namohysip]

Karat didn't seem too pleased at the line of questioning. "And why exactly should I answer you?" he asked. "Giovanni... He's clever. I only escaped from my world's version of him through luck, power, and other humans getting in the way. This Giovanni... is one who won. And he's already gotten spies infiltrating our ranks. There's no telling which of you could be working for him... I'm not giving any information to possible suspects."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa scoffed. "If we're spies of Giovanni, then you don't got anythin' to lose from explainin' why yer fightin' him. Either we already know, in which case it ain't exactly a leak of information, or we don't, in which case you might persuade us to turn against him."

She glanced at Starr. There was no way the torracat would take kindly to being accused of allegiance to Giovanni.

"In any case, there's none other than the two of us who've tried harder to land a hit on that fucker. And... well, you've met Seyka. Let's just say I don't buy that the fella has espionage in his blood."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr bristled, a hot flash of anger coming over her. That motherfucker. If only he knew. But she sure as hell wasn't in the mood to go telling him of all people.

She inhaled deeply through her nose, forcing herself to level. "Anything you could know about his agenda is stuff he'd already know. It wouldn't be any news to him. And it'd give us the chance to do something better than flail like idiots every time he shows up, so it's worth it. You obviously can't beat him by yourself."

 

[Namohysip]

Karat glared, looking Starr over. It looked like he had something to say somewhere, but closed his eyes and opted for a more productive response. "I guess, all things considered," he said, "that's true. If you are his spies, any of you, then you must already know what I know."

He adjusted his seat, then said, "Giovanni is after Shadows, Radiance, and some third power I don't recognize. Might be related to Darkwhite's new form that I've been hearing about. Shield, Team Drumstick, Deoxys, and I infiltrated the Isle of Light some time ago and stole his Radiant component. But I'm not saying where they hid it. And I don't know where Giovanni went with the rest of his supplies. He might have yet another base."

Karat closed his eyes.

"Giovanni is working mostly alone. I don't know how he is constructing all of his technology without any resources."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa chewed her cheek. "Yeah, that all about tracks. Some of that we knew or'd guessed. ...My gut says that 'radiant component' is poor Joule. Which means perhaps we can still save him..." She shook her head and met Karat's eye. "We'll do our best to get th'rest of yer allies free of him safe 'n' sound. Y'have my word."

She made mental notes to herself of everything Karat had revealed and how it lined up with what they knew, her tail tracing her loops of memorisation behind her. What was most important? Not Karat's hatred of Giovanni, despite her curiosity. Perhaps Giovanni's weaknesses? Ah, but if Karat even knew any, would he really reveal them to suspected spies? Hmm...

"I have to ask. Do you have any idea who that fucker's alleged spies could be? The sooner we root 'em out, and the more folks we can clear of suspicion, the better fer the security of our moves against him."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr glanced at Brisa. "Giovanni did mention that at least one of the spies had started screwing with him. Assuming that wasn't, y'know, a total lie, we should've seen some evidence of it." She racked her brain, trying to think of anything that fit. Wait...

Starr jerked her head toward Karat. "Do you have any clue who busted you out the last time he showed up?"

 

[Namohysip]

"I don't," Karat said, shaking his head. "I just felt the suppression aura in this room go away, and at the same time, tremors outside, so I investigated...

"But as for who the spies could be... I don't really know. I researched a lot about your team and gathered the information I could, so I know a lot about what you're capable of. Your backgrounds. Your weaknesses. It would have to be someone that was either put under secret control by Giovanni when nobody else could have found out... or they're associated with him already. It could be that Charmeleon, who came here first, who was attacked and defeated early on before the rest of you came. Or someone affiliated with Team Rocket." Karat's gaze slowly drifted toward Starr until he was staring right at her. "Maybe a grunt, like that Mudkip. Or maybe even his very daughter."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa scowled. What was it with powerful psychics and not having the first fucking clue how people actually worked??

"Nice try, Karat. That don't come as any kinda surprise t'me. I ain't even countin' Starr among the suspects, and I don't intend to start now. Why don't you try an angle I might actually credit? Not that yer intuition is infallible, judgin' by yer track record."

She cursed herself internally for already starting to lose her cool. She reminded herself that this was a potential ally, with an enemy in common, and that he had his reasons to be suspicious . . . just as she'd been so regrettably suspicious of Soda.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Another flash of hot anger, clouding her vision. Motherfucker, he knew.

"If you know that much, then you oughta know that I'd rather die than ever go back to serving him," Starr growled, staring Karat dead in the eyes. "I mean it." Never again.

 

[RJR Basimilus]

Seyka watched the exchange, his expression blank.

"Mm, I suppose he does have a point, you never know right?"

The Skarmory turned to Karat. "Plus, there's always plausible deniability in groups. What if-" Seyka gestured at Starr and Brisa, "-they were both traitors covering for each other. Ah, wouldn't that be a surprise."

 

[Namohysip]

They stared each other down, the mutant Legend and the daughter of his creator from a world far away. He listened to Seyka's statement and was more disturbed than he'd ever admit to how much he had a point.

"Fine," Karat said, "here's my angle. Giovanni seemed to know every single move we made before we made it. He has moved forward, and was only disrupted by things that others not with Team Spectrum did. Not affiliated with Destiny Tower. That means someone from Team Spectrum could be working for Giovanni this whole time. Or maybe even that... God Squad bunch, or the Guild. We don't really know, do we? ...But until we figure out who, Giovanni will continue to be one step ahead of us. Anything Team Spectrum knows, Giovanni will know. It seems like a pretty clear correlation."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa huffed. "That's all a given already. 'Course, those ain't even an exhaustive list of ways the fucker could be spyin' on us."

She glanced at the skarmory. Goddamnit, Seyka. Not helpful. The bird was reminding her of Luz right now, in the worst possible fucking way.

"Anyway. I ain't wastin' my time givin' account fer myself, and I trust Starr with my goddamn life. We're runnin' Charmeleon Owen by this world's preeminent psychic doc to account fer him. I hadn't any idea Nate was a grunt, but from th'way the fella's been rushin' about tryin' to get ahead of all this shit, I don't buy that he's one of the spies. Not that bein' a grunt fer one Giovanni means loyalty to another Giovanni tearin' about creatin' world-endin' monstrosities."

She shook her mane with a light crackle of sparks. "Damn near anyone on the team coulda been pulled aside in secret fer mental entrapment and we'd never know. So there's little use speculatin' about that. D'you have any hard evidence? Any sign of suspicious behaviour? ...Or are y'just judgin' folks based on who they've been? 'Cause that'll get us nowhere."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr glared at Karat, unimpressed. "That's it? 'We really don't know'? You seriously don't have anything more concrete than that?"

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she registered what Brisa had just said. I trust Starr with my goddamn life.

Did she seriously mean that...?

 

[Namohysip]

"I suppose not," Karat conceded with a scowl. "...Except for one person. But I don't think any of you would be happy about it. Assuming it's not someone who is literally affiliated with Rockets... I'm very skeptical that your leader is doing this out of the goodness of his black heart. Heroes? After the things I've seen you guys do on your downtime? A Necrozma who razed entire populations because he felt it was right? Some ancient not-immortal Charmeleon who apparently murdered in his spare time? And, well. I didn't really find out the details, but I know you have a few things you won't talk about very openly." Karat looked to Starr.

Then, to Brisa, "And you were so troubled that you sought out Sunny to speak with spirits beyond. Dark Matter didn't summon heroes. He summoned people who could feed into his negative power. I think he's working with Giovanni as we speak. If that Charizard wasn't Owen... then it was Dark Matter." His tone lowered. "You're all pawns. That has not changed."

 

[RJR Basimilus]

"If you're in the dark like us, then what are you?" Seyka asked. "A rook?"

"Don't pokemon argue that pawns are the most important piece anyway? I've never really understood chess, but you know."

"Anyway," the Skarmory continued, "If Diyem wanted to do evil things, why bother picking a world that could fight back? Is triumphing over adversity really that big of an ego boost?"

"Errr, maybe that's too many questions. One more though!" Seyka perked up. "Where do you suppose dark matter got their idea of a hero from if everyone so far has been a raw deal?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr rolled her eyes heavily. And they were back to the same old Diyem suspicion. It wasn't interesting when it was Shield doing it, and it sure as hell wasn't interesting now.

What a waste of time. They should've known--what reason did a fucking Mewtwo have to listen to anyone lower than him. Of course he'd think he knew better. Arrogant prick.

Starr glanced over at Brisa, ready to make some dismissive comment, but then had to pause when she saw just how pissed she looked.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"I'm very skeptical that your leader is doing this out of the goodness of his black heart. Heroes? After the things I've seen you guys do on your downtime? A Necrozma who razed entire populations because he felt it was right? Some ancient not-immortal Charmeleon who apparently murdered in his spare time? And, well. I didn't really find out the details, but I know you have a few things you won't talk about very openly. And you were so troubled that you sought out Sunny to speak with spirits beyond. Dark Matter didn't summon heroes. He summoned people who could feed into his negative power. I think he's working with Giovanni as we speak. If that Charizard wasn't Owen... then it was Dark Matter. You're all pawns. That has not changed."

Brisa seethed. She could practically feel her Bright Arclight racing across her fur, and suppressed it with a clenched jaw. Whatever the fuck Seyka was saying as she chewed on Karat's words, she didn't hear it.

"You think you have it all figured out," she said, her voice sharp. "You think you understand who we are. We volunteered to risk our lives fer th'sake of a world we didn't even know, but the fact we have regrets and struggles of the heart means we can't be heroes. Sure. My father saved my goddamn world and broke himself in the process, and you think that my wantin' closure by speakin' to him in Spirit's Edge makes me suspect? Fuckin' fine."

A growl rose in her throat. "I won't write folks off so easily. The people in our posse are strivin' to be better'n their old selves, just as I am. Just as Diyem is. If that charizard was Diyem, it's 'cause his mind has been shackled the same way as Giovanni's other captured wretches. Giovanni doesn't have partners, he has tools. There's nobody workin' with him of their own volition, just more victims."

A spark flew off her teeth. "I wonder what makes you incapable of fuckin' seein' that. Gotta be 'cause of whatever his mirror self did t'you, right? Tell me I'm fuckin' wrong."

 

[Namohysip]

Karat stared, glaring at them, before he shook his head and looked back. "Then perhaps I should rephrase myself," he said. "I do not think you are pawns being used by Diyem directly. I do not think he is controlling you. I think he is feeding off of you. The fact that you were so troubled as to seek out Buffet... the fact that you all have so much haunting your past..." Karat frowned. "He's feeding off of you. That is what I'm saying. It is self-evident. For all I know, he is using that negativity to regain his lost power.

"So, pardon me for being skeptical that a world ender is in the mood for some selfless heroism."