Spinda Cafe

[Cresselia92]

Icetales didn’t move an inch nor utter a word, silently taking in the words of the dragon standing by his side.

And then, his tails quivered, and a heartfelt smile appeared on his face. That wave of sensations he was feeling and the circumstances were all too familiar.

That Bahamut… reminded him a lot of Mama Gogo, the first Pokémon who ever made him feel welcome and accepted, and who was willing to cover his back. Who made him feel like he belonged to a family.

His heart… was now warmer and filled with hope. Hope for a more fulfilling, albeit temporary, life.

“That was… truly touching, sir,” said Icetales at last, wagging his tails and his smile as splendent as ever. “I appreciate that. I truly do!”

He glanced at his cup of tea. It would be a waste to leave it like that, wouldn’t it? So, he dragged his beverage toward himself, but his attention returned on the dragon.

“But enough talking about yours truly. I would be most intrigued to know more about thee. How was thy life before thou became a… well, a hero?” he asked, before starting lapping the remains of tea.

 

[TheGOAT]

If Astrid was still awake, she’d be telling everyone how the napkins on the table made for an excellent pillow. The tiny, listless smile on her face would have to do.

She would not wake up again at the cafe. Not until later, after she’d been lifted back to the dojo.

 

[Ambyssin]

At Icepix's question, the colors in Bahamut's eyes dimmed. "If it were a play, audiences would label it a tragedy." He still wore a smile on his beak. "I've spent the last several centuries alone, wandering the mystery dungeons eroding my home planet bit by bit." Bahamut shrugged. "It cannot be helped, I'm afraid."

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales took a gulp too many at the response. He pulled away from the cup and coughed harshly, releasing many small clouds of mist.

He shook his head and wiped his nose with a paw, trying to clear away the liquid that was still stuck in his windpipe.

“T-That’s…”

He coughed one last time, and once he felt that his throat wasn’t burning anymore, he gawked at the dragon.

“That’s horrible, sir! H-How did that happen? Did thy world end up… attacked, or… or slowly died of old age, or… or something?”

 

[Ambyssin]

"Attacked by a five-headed, planet-sized daemon: Natus Aeterna, the 'Eternal World Ender.'" Purple almost entirely overtook Bahamut's eyes and spread through his face like poison droplets across water. "A being with no thoughts. No emotions. It simply acts... venting infinite energy that erodes whatever world it comes into contact with." And yet, he still had that smile on his face. It would be an impressive poker face if they'd chosen to partake in the game alongside the drinks. "It sounds like something from a hatchling's tale, but when you've stared down its five heads as they paint the heavens red with their vile aura..." Bahamut shook his head. "Well, it's not an easy sight to remove from one's psyche."

 

[Cresselia92]

Bejabers! And Icetales thought that his life was miserable! That level of destruction… was something that he had troubles merely grasping, he wouldn’t know how he would have handled everything if he saw those events unfolding.

“My… most sincere condolences, sir” he said, ears flattening and tails shaking. “And apologies for making thee bring up those painful mementos. I had no idea that thee… um, had gone through such an excruciating experience…”

Suddenly, the plan of throwing a party for all heroes and to lift everyone’s spirits didn’t sound like such an insensate idea. However, he shelved those thoughts for the time being — he would have brought them out in due time.

“A world destroyer…” Icetales mulled over that thought, starting to feel uneasy. “Thou don’t believe… that said monster could target this world, too. …Right?”

 

[Ambyssin]

"I am unsure." Bahamut untwisted himself so he was looking at the floor again. "However, the first hurdle we ran into was a pair of gigantic magikarp rampaging around. Two reactions seen in mortals exposed to Natus' caustic energy." His eyes shifted from mostly-purple to a mix of red and blue. "However, the skies are not red. And the spiral coils of the daemon are not blotting out the stars." He cross his upper wings in thought. "There's been some... discussion with the locals about alternate versions of creatures. So, perhaps, there is an alternate variant of Natus that has set its sights upon this world.

"But I cannot say that with certainty. If you ask any of our teammates, they will say I am as paranoid as a mimikyu without its disguise." A chuckle rumbled behind his crystalline face. "Well, maybe not these two. I imagine they'll be out cold the rest of the day." He gestured to Astrid and Curio.

 

[Cresselia92]

“Heavens! If I went through such an ordeal, I would be lucky if I ended up as simply paranoid!” Icetales frowned. “The way I see it, thou can never be too cautious, especially when dealing with some threat that could end the world.”

The Vulpix glanced at the sleeping Pokémon, a thoughtful gleam filling his eyes.

“Huh, yes, about them. Wouldn’t it be preferable to take them somewhere else? I very much doubt that Sir Spinda — or however he is called — would appreciate having sleeping ‘mons on his tables and walls.” He brought a paw to his mouth, before looking again at Bahamut. “Dost thou know some place where we could drop them of? Maybe someplace with beds, like… a inn or similar?”

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut scooped one blackout drunk team member in each set of wings. "Well, we've been staying in the dojo in town. I suppose we could take them back there and have Owen get them some coffee for when they wake up." The charmander was a good little errand boy. Bahamut was sure he'd agree without much objection.

 

[Cresselia92]

“Ah, sounds good to me! I was wondering where I was supposed to rest for the nights. And if I’ll get to meet this Owen, too, that would be most delightful.” Icetales smiled and nodded in agreement. “Well, I think we’re pretty much done here. Lead the way, dear fellow.”

 

[Ambyssin]

"Mmm. Well, I usually just fly there. So, I'll just have to try not to drop you into the ocean or anything."

And, without warning, he snatched Icepix up in his beak and carried the poor noble out by his tails.

<><><>​

 

[NebulaDreams]

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Curio sat alone on one table, nursing a big cup of Tamato Juice. The spice had a real kick to it; just what she needed to give herself a kick up the bum. It might've just been a placebo effect, but at least she was making an effort.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa tolerated another night in her sickbed before she'd had enough. Curio hadn't come to find her, Diyem hadn't elaborated on Curio's condition or his own panic yesterday, and she was restless besides. So, she forced herself out of bed, dismissed the concerns of guild staff who wanted her to rest, and dragged herself to Treasure Town.

She was fatigued and sore, so the trip left her short of breath and pained. She looked about and felt dread at having to ask strangers if they'd seen her friend. Or worse, ask Diyem using telepathy. Or figure out how to use her badge, which was still totally mysterious.

Augh.

There was a drinking spot that had opened up, wasn't there? Not a saloon, but something like it. Maybe someone there would have seen Curio.

Brisa made her way there, swearing quietly at her body's aches and shakes, hoping against hope that Curio-

-was there. Right there. She didn't look so cheerful, but maybe Brisa could help with that? She went to place an order for a decent whiskey with the bartender on the God Squad's tab - she could use one, right now - and went to sit with Curio.

"Uh, hey there," she said, instantly flustered. "I've been askin' after you. Thought you mighta been hurt."

She couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong, and it was giving her anxiety something fierce.

 

[NebulaDreams]

Curio only got halfway through her drink before taking a breather. This wasn't really helping her and all she had to show for her trip to the cafe so far was a pair of burning lips. The only thing that could've made it worse was if Brisa--

Oh, fuck, Brisa just came in. Great. She simultaneously hoped for and dreaded this meeting. Curio just stayed silent, staring at Brisa as she joined her table.

"Uh, hey there," she said, instantly flustered. "I've been askin' after you. Thought you mighta been hurt."

"Yeah, no fucking shit I'm hurt, you--" Curio cut herself off before she gave an even more curt response. This was no way to confront that day's events. "Sorry. It's been a crazy couple of days for me since then."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

That stare. That clawed remark. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

"I... don't recall exactly how things went after we all touched the light," said Brisa. "I remember trying to attack, and then everything went as bright as a sun, and nothin' else. What... what happened, Curio?"

She was starting to have a real bad feeling what.

 

[NebulaDreams]

I... don't recall exactly how things went after we all touched the light," said Brisa. "I remember trying to attack, and then everything went as bright as a sun, and nothin' else. What... what happened, Curio?"

“You shocked me.” Curio downed the rest of the drink before she continued. “You shocked me while I couldn’t move or anything, and it dredged up—“ She choked on the rest of those words and tugged on an aura sensor. “I-I can’t say it. But I remembered something I wish I had forgotten. You went out like a light, literally, and I just left.” She sighed. “I don’t remember the rest of that day. I kept walking for hours like a puppet on a string, even through the night, then found myself at Sharpedo Bluff the day after.“

Curio put the cup to the side and glared at Brisa. “So yeah, fun times.”

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Sky and stars, oh gods, oh hell.

"I didn't-- that's, that's awful, Curio I'm sorry, I'm real sorry," she stammered. "I'd never mean to hurt-- to hurt you like that!"

This was it. There was no cocky smile, no easy joke coming to reassure her.

She felt sick.

 

[NebulaDreams]

Brisa’s face contorted like she had a stomach bug. In some aspects, this was satisfying to see after what she put Curio through. At the same time, she could see the genuine guilt oozing through every pore of hers. Curio kept on that poker face of hers, though.

"I didn't-- that's, that's awful, Curio I'm sorry, I'm real sorry," she stammered. "I'd never mean to hurt-- to hurt you like that!"

“I know you didn’t mean to do it. It didn’t hurt hurt, and there’s no way you would’ve known what it did to me.” Another sigh. “Look, I still don’t know how to feel about what happened, and I’m not sure I’m ready to go back to the way things were just yet. You weren’t careful, you got drunk with power through that light thingy, and you couldn’t control yourself. What if you ended up killing me, or someone else?”

Curio nabbed a stranger’s drink and downed it, despite their protests. It was a soft drink, but it still gave her a pause from what was going on. “I shouldn’t have egged you on then. It was stupid.” Yet another sigh. “This is why I don’t like fighting all the time; these Pokemon urges of ours are so dumb.”

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa's chest went cold.

It was happening again.

I don’t like fighting all the time

How come you're always fighting, aren't you interested in anything else? Of course she had other interests. But fighting was fun! It was what pokémon did. What was so bad about that? Couldn't she study and fight? This, comin' from someone with as many scars as you.

What if you ended up killing me

You could've killed someone, swinging your power around like that! She'd be more careful. She promised. She didn't realise how strong she was, but she knew better now. She really did. I'd never kill a thinkin' person, Jesse, don't you know that?

you couldn’t control yourself.

You need to learn some responsibility, before you lose control. She tried. She really tried. She trained and focused and held back. Wasn't it enough? What would be enough? To make myself smaller, to never bare my teeth in anger, to not remind you what I really am?

I’m not sure I’m ready to go back to the way things were

We can't just go back to the way things used to be. And they never did. And they never would. Why couldn't you just stay with me?

It was happening again.

Brisa tightened her expression and looked away from Curio's face. What the fuck could she say? What would a good person say? What... what was okay to say?

"Curio, I..."

It was happening again.

"If that's how it's gotta be, then... th-then I have'ta respect that."

Outstanding. Fuckin' inspired. She wasn't even gonna stick up for herself, huh? Why couldn't she just... explain her feelings? Fuck, she didn't even know she felt. Pain, mostly. What was there to say? Sky and stars. She had nothin'.

"Goodbye, Curio."

 

[NebulaDreams]

"If that's how it's gotta be, then... th-then I have'ta respect that."

Outstanding. Fuckin' inspired. She wasn't even gonna stick up for herself, huh? Why couldn't she just... explain her feelings? Fuck, she didn't even know she felt. Pain, mostly. What was there to say? Sky and stars. She had nothin'.

"Goodbye, Curio."

"Brisa, wait a sec." Curio leapt out of her seat, reaching out to her. "Just lemme say something, please."