Rocky Road ~ House of Brisa, Dave, Koa, and Owen

[Flyg0n]

Echo's ears flicked and he smiled. That was easy. "Oh yeah! Koa's amazing. Being a trained pokemon is the best. Imagine having someone who's your best friend and who can help you get amazingly strong in battle. Koa looks out for me, I look out for him, even in battle!"

He paused to consider as he spoke the words. Even as he said them they felt familiar, like he'd seen something like that - "It's like that big fight you had against that weird Mew. I could feel it. That Mew's friend, the Lucario. He helped Mew in the battle."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Someone who was both a special friend and could make you so much stronger. Brisa had someone like that already. Someone human, even.

What would it be like t'be that way with her, huh?

"Yeah, Mew Sword and Lucario Shield. They're a real pair, those two. Without his advice, I'd've trounced the gal a lot harder than I managed." Brisa scratched her cheek fur. "I never had much trouble thinkin' tactically, but I've reached a whole new level by trainin' with Starr, especially. Somethin' t'be said fer that kinda strength, fer sure."

But you ain't a normal 'mon, are ya?

"I get the regular kinda strength jus' from havin' a human pa," she added. "Fer all the good it did me."

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo’s eyes widened slightly. “You’re half human?” The revelation was unexpected yet…. Not entirely surprising. Brisa was part human. Although her tone of voice suggested she wasn’t pleased about it.

“That’s cool,” he said earnestly. “No wonder you’re so strong. And you’ve done so much with all that strength! You should be proud." He regarded her carefully before continuing. "I know Koa thinks so.”

He meant it. Koa seemed to really like Brisa, and any friend of Koa was a friend of his. It was that simple. And that meant he wanted Brisa to be happy too. She was as much a friend as Luz, as far as he was concerned.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded along with what Echo was saying. Gods, she was tired, but the crobat was so earnest. "I guess so. Bein' crazy-strong since I were a kid and not fittin' in too well made life kinda complicated fer me back in my own world. Here, I got opportunity aplenty to use my strength fer good, and people love me fer goin' all-out in the Colosseum. I like that. I wanna hold onto it, Echo. I don't wanna give it up."

Koa thinks so. That was something to think about.

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo nodded in understanding. Power wasn't always appreciated. "I guess it's easier to fear strength," he mused.

Was that why everyone back home was so scared of legendaries? Probably.

At least here people were good and kind, and appreciated people like Brisa.

"But as long as you keep fighting... Maybe you won't have to give it up. I think one person can make a lot of difference." He grinned a little and instinctively reached out with a wing to stroke her head, like he might have done for Koa.

Her fur on her head even reminded him of Koa's just a bit, being rather puffy. "Besides, you should be allowed to be happy too! You're a good trainer, skill like that is important."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa chuckled at the contact and the optimistic encouragement. Koa was a lucky kid to have a teammate like this back home.

"I'm tryin' to let myself be happy," she replied, voice low. "I appreciate the kind words, partner. Sounds like maybe this ain't th'first tiime you've had t'say this sorta thing. ...How's Koa holdin' up, in yer own opinion?"

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo took the question and considered it carefully. Brisa was a friend, a good one, so he trusted her. His trainer needed some help, and he wanted to do whatever he could.

"He's troubled," Echo said finally. A note of sadness crept into his tone, and his expression dimmed, growing more pensive. "For awhile now. Even before that meeting with the team. I think the meeting made it worse but..." he shuffled on his perched and ruffled his wings.

How to explain best. He knew Koa had been avoiding Brisa for a bit now. Sometime before he himself had... arrived? Hatched? Manifested? Though he hadn't pried, Koa confessed briefly he'd said things to Brisa he regretted.

Finally, he spoke again. "He carries a lot of guilt. I wish he'd believe in himself more but he's so hard on himself."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa's mouth skewed in consternation.

"What about before? Was he so troubled afore comin' t'Cibus?"

 

[Flyg0n]

How much should he tell? He'd never reveal anything secret about his trainer, but him being troubled wasn't much of a secret either. Finally, Echo nodded slowly.

“I think he’s trying to be ok but… it’s hard for him. He never took failure well but all this stuff is just bringing everything to the surface.”

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

No wonder Koa responded so well to praise. The poor kid had some high fucking bar of some kind set for him back home, or that he'd set for himself. Something to do with that legendary fixation of his, no doubt. The question was, did Koa have something to live up to, or something to do better than?

She'd have to ask that kid a thing or two next time she saw him.

"Say, Echo. I wanna watch out fer that kid. Is there anythin'... I oughta be doin'? Or not doin'? To do right by him."

She wanted to do right by everyone, of course. But Koa... That kid felt like a little brother, sometimes. Maybe she could keep on looking after him while also giving him a bit of a kick in the rear when he needed one.

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo couldn’t help but smile a little. No wonder his trainer adored Brisa so much. She was cool (almost as good a honey, even). “You know, if Koa wasn’t my trainer already, you’d make a pretty good one.”

How ironic. Koa had told him how when he’d first set out on his journey, he was dead set on catching a Shinx. And now here he was, worlds away, and his best friend was a Luxray.

“Anyways, he already really likes you a lot. You’re a good friend to him. I…” He paused and narrowed his eyes, contemplating her question. For several seconds he didn’t speak.

“I think he needs to be reminded that he can’t be perfect. Messing up a few times doesn’t make you a bad person. Or that... people will abandon you.” He’d tried to remind Koa. To tell him not to think so hard, and not to dwell so much on his mistakes but he returned to the habit like a Mothim to a lamp. “I’ve told him before but maybe hearing it from someone else would help.”

His expression faltered a little and he frowned. “I just don’t like seeing him so upset.”

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa, a trainer? ...Well, it wasn't like she hadn't spent half her working hours on Cibus giving combat tuition, pep talks, building people up... Weird that she always thought of herself as a pokémon and here was Echo, adapting within seconds to the idea that she was just as human as she was 'mon. Just pretty hard to focus on that when you'd only ever been in a 'mon body, and kept the human thing pretty quiet...

Strange to think, but in a way she was much more similar in some ways to someone like Koa – or Starr – than she was to a lot of ordinary 'mon. Had she been . . . less unequal than she'd assumed, this whole time? Writing off something about herself and her demihumanity that went beyond strength? She should talk to Starr about this sometime. Or maybe... She didn't have to? She'd think it over on her next long walk.

She listened to Echo as he moved back to talking about Koa and his burdens. Poor fella sounded not dissimilar to herself from awhile back, she reckoned. Which meant he could be helped. She'd help him.

"I don't much like seein' anyone upset," she said, "but that kid especially could sure use a break from his own feelings. I'll have a word with him, see what I can do 'bout that perfectionism yer describin'. I reckon I can see it, and I reckon I can see a way past it. I wanna help."

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo's smile returned and he let out a pleased chirp. He liked Brisa, definitely. She was a good person. He'd have to keep an ear on her, make sure she was doing ok. "Thanks Brisa." He hopped forward and nuzzled her.

"You're a good friend." Maybe he'd have to bring Brisa some honey to try. Everyone needed to try honey at some point (and anyone who didn't like it was probably wrong).

Echo. I'm going searching for the other Soda again. I could use your help.

His trainer's voice sounded in Echo's head. "I'll see you later Brisa," he said, his cheer returning. If there was anything he had trusted in, it was the strength of a friendship. A little faith could go a long, long way. And from what he had seen, there were few mon better to have faith in than Brisa.

He flew towards the door, then paused and turned back to Brisa.

"Take care of yourself," he added. "You're important too." Nodding his head in farewell, he glided out of the house.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa's tail perked up at that. Echo seemed like the kind of upbeat critter who'd be delightful in amy company, but still. The shade had, for a moment, let her feel like maybe she deserved a break from all the shit, too. Bless him. She was glad Koa had a companion like that.

Funny thing. He's a lot like our Luz. Maybe you should let her in a li'l more, huh?

She could think about that after a power nap, maybe...

<><><><><>​

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

After a short, restless nap, a cold drink, and an angry, bewildered scroll through a group comms backlog in which her teammates bickered about Vix fucking dying, again, Brisa clawed at her cheek fur and tapped out a text to Starr. Yeah, she needed a break, and a friend to be with who was fucking easy to be around.

[Brisket > Anise]: shit day. you free? i'm home right now, could use good company

Hopefully Starr felt like company, too.

 

[Chibi Pika]

[Anise > Brisket]: sure thing, was bored at home anyway.

Starr needed a good distraction given all the bullshit on her mind lately. So after stopping by a food cart to grab snacks, Starr arrived at the front door to Brisa's place and let herself in. "Heya, I got food," she announced, shutting the door behind her with a foot. "You know, if you hadn't texted me I probably would've come over anyway--all the matches on TV today sucked, was bored out of my mind."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa felt half the tension in her evaporate and smiled to herself. Would've come over anyway. She didn't have to feel bad about asking at all.

Also, she'd brought food... Candied fruits. Popcorn. Honeycomb. Gods yes, thank you Starr.

"You're just straight up savin' my life today, huh," she drawled, helping herself to some. "Help yerself t'whatever's in the kitchen, like always."

She rolled over a little to get actually comfortable, instead of despondently so. "Matches'll pick up soon. This is just filler after our big throwdown with Colada. Next set of showcases kicks off soon with more Divine, Spectrum and Omen challengers. We've got some of those slots, y'know."

She tried to sound nonchalant, but she couldn't keep an uneven grin creeping onto her face. They were gonna keep on battling, together. They were gonna kick so much ass.

​

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr dumped out a pile of spiced jerky and a few slabs of honeycomb onto a plate and flopped onto the couch next to Brisa. "Yeah, I figured it'd pick up. Hell, from the sound of it, you're gonna be in most of those."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa chuckled sheepishly. "Well, it's a good time fer me. Fightin' with no real stakes, bein' celebrated fer it. And I need the chance to blow off that much steam, what with how things are right now. You oughta be glad you skipped the last team meetin'. It was a fuckin' shitshow."

She scowled to herself, still fucking angry, still fucking guilty.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr let out a scoff. "Yeah, can't blame you for that. I think I got the gist of everything from the groupchat and even that was like 'goddamn,'" she said through a mouthful of jerky.

Then again, the edge in Brisa's voice wasn't the sort of thing that came up from the normal sort of team issues. Seemed more... personal. "How're you holding up after that anyway?"