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Spirits' Edge

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Namohysip

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Remi hadn't been expecting that. She tensed at first, her arms away from both Luz and herself, but then she lowered her hands gently until they were around the Zeraora's ectoplasmic, yet solid form.

"Yeah. I-I will. It's not a problem anyway. I'm dead, y'know? I don't really..." She trailed off. "...I'm just glad to know he's not... gone. That he didn't leave and forget about me."

"It's way more than that," Cal said. "The second he gets the chance, he's gonna find you. I know it."

"...Well... Tell him not to take longer than he has to, you hear me?!" She tried to laugh. More pain that time. Luz had hit a weak point.

"I will," Cal replied. "And... Thanks. Remi. Thanks for humoring that."

Remilia's beaming smile was back. "See you some other time, Sis."
 

unrepentantAuthor

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"Don't you worry none," said Luz gently. "I'll give him a kick in the posterior about it the second we get home."

She let go, and went to board her hydreigon ride.

"Safe travels, Remi."
 

Namohysip

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They left, and even as they flew away, Remi ran after them to wave for just a little while longer. Soon, however, her realm faded away, and they faded to her.

And that was when Cal finally let herself cry. She trembled and wiped at her eyes, streaming little golden embers, perhaps all simulated, but it felt real to her. They were of relief. She took shaking sighs and slow, deep breaths that expanded her chest by a whole foot, and then heaved the ethereal air back out.

Only when they were halfway back did she finally speak. "Thank you..."
 

unrepentantAuthor

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"Anythin' fer you, sweetheart," said Luz, gripping Cal's forearm for a moment. The other shade was a darn sight bigger than her now. Wasn't that something?

She didn't think it right to put questions to Cal right now. She'd be alright given a spell to think it all over. And maybe a pleasant distraction or two.

"Hey Cal," she said, pointing at a starfield. "Check it out. Ain't that one a pretty sight? I reckon it looks like a slow-burnin' flame."

They'd be home soon. And things would be alright.

<><><><><>​
 
R13 – Seventh

Flyg0n

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Koa moved with a heaviness in his step, fur prickling as he thought of what he had to do. Echo was off wherever he liked to go when he wasn’t with Koa, which was good. He wanted the solitude for once.

Or maybe he deserved it.

Blinking the thoughts aside, he focused ahead. Icetales had said he was out here. For some reason. He wasn’t exactly sure why he’d be out here, but it didn’t matter, did it?

After a minute, he spotted the Ninetales. The sight of him caused fresh guilt to claw at Koa’s throat. He still remembered the look on his face when Icetales had found out. What they’d done. What he’d done.

You’re hurting everyone, and destroying the team. They were better off without you.

Even if everyone on the team hated him, Koa couldn’t bear the idea of not at least apologizing to Icetales. He’d been one of Koa’s first friends when he’d arrived. He had to say something.

“Hey Icetales,” he said, walking up. Despite his attempts to sound neutral, his voice came out strained. He looked up at him, but didn’t quite make eye contact.
 

Cresselia92

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If the weight inside someone’s heart could be measured with a balance, Icetales had no doubt that it would destroy even the sturdiest of devices.

There were so many thoughts swirling inside his mind, focused on the two tasks he had ahead of him: trying to reach out for his mother’s spirit… and Koamaru.

The Ninetales would be lying to himself if he said that he wasn’t somewhat hurt by the secrecy in the team, but on the other hand… he had kept secrets from his team, too.

It is not the same! We are a monster, a beast! Dost thou believe they would have been welcoming toward us if they knew they were becoming friends with a hellspawn?

Icetales winced and produced his usual bottle of tea from his bag. He needed to stay calm, to stay focused, to keep his mind fresh.

They probably would have hated us! Just like everyone once we were brought out from Chaos!

We… cannot tell for certain…


Icetales poured the tea inside a cup and started drinking, while glancing around the place. He wondered who would have appeared first: Buffet, or…?

Pah! I do not even know why we are here. What are we expecting from Mother?

She is wise. She can help us better understand ourselves. She can… help us become better, for the team’s sake.

Hmph. Thou know well what we should do to truly be of help for the team.


Icetales paused to let his inner darkness speak.

…Self-imposed exile.

Icetales took a deep breath and resumed drinking his tea. Was that really the solution…?

No. No. Of course not. Cynthian and Celeste would have suffered as a result, and they cared a great deal about him. He couldn’t do that to them!

Then… what else could he do? But before he could even think about something…

“Hey Icetales,” he said, walking up. Despite his attempts to sound neutral, his voice came out strained. He looked up at him, but didn’t quite make eye contact.

…Oh. Well, it looks like Koamaru was faster than Buffet.

Icetales turned to the young Manectric, noticing how his gaze was focused elsewhere.

“Greetings, Sir Koamaru…” he said, before his own gaze drifted away and went to his tea. Golly, he had so much to say, but how could he say things? “Um… So, thou wanted to confer with me?” He lifted his gaze lightly. “Whatever it is in thy mind, I am listening.”
 
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Flyg0n

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Confer? That was a mild way of putting it. How did he even begin?

How could he explain? That vision that still haunted him of being torn apart, the knowledge that the things in play were spiraling far beyond a simple quest to save a world? Torn between wanting to tell the team and not keep any secrets and the knowledge that people could get hurt if too much information spilled? Trying to figure out how to approach the team and tell everyone carefully? Hating Soda so much yet wishing desperately he could save him? How he was horrified by his plans, the way it reminded him of everything he hated and how he’d failed and-

Koa took a steadying breath. That didn’t matter. He shoved the wayward thoughts and emotions down and swallowed with great effort. “I’m-“

‘Sorry I ruined everything and destroyed the team?
Sorry for being a liar and traitor?
Sorry for being a failure?'


He pawed at the ground. “I’m sorry, Icetales.” He kept staring at the ground, studying the dirt and the fur on his paws, and anything but Icetales himself.

“Not telling you had nothing to do with not trusting you.” Once he began, all the words started to spill out. “You’re one of my best friends. I trust you almost more than anyone I know and I know I ruined everything but I just… I just needed you to know that it wasn’t because I didn’t trust you. I wanted to protect everyone and stop things from getting out of hand and I needed to find a way to do it but then it was too late-“

He sucked in a breath and sighed. The why didn’t really matter. He’d failed.

“Nevermind. I just came here to tell you I’m sorry and that I still trust you.”
 

Cresselia92

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He pawed at the ground. “I’m sorry, Icetales.” He kept staring at the ground, studying the dirt and the fur on his paws, and anything but Icetales himself.

Icetales blinked and looked intently at Koamaru, his tails quivering ever so slightly. The Manectric was… sorry?

There was something in his voice to confirm that. Was that remorse? Guilt? Shame?

Before he could inquire about that, Koamaru elaborated further…

“Not telling you had nothing to do with not trusting you.” Once he began, all the words started to spill out. “You’re one of my best friends. I trust you almost more than anyone I know and I know I ruined everything but I just… I just needed you to know that it wasn’t because I didn’t trust you. I wanted to protect everyone and stop things from getting out of hand and I needed to find a way to do it but then it was too late-“

While Icetales kept a neutral stare outside of his body, he could feel some guilt starting to gnaw at him as well.

By the heavens, how much was Koamaru holding inside of him? By the way he was explaining things, the whole situation weighed and was still weighing on him a whole lot.

The Ninetales lowered his cup, completely focused on what Koamaru was saying. His tails thumped the floor when the Manectric said that he was one of his best friends, and his heart swelled with a plethora of emotions.

Thrill. Joy. Shock. Shame. Sadness.

Oh, Sir Koamaru… I did not know that thou were…

Icetales bit his lips, debating what he was supposed to say about that. However, Koamaru had something more to say, apparently.

He sucked in a breath and sighed.

“Nevermind. I just came here to tell you I’m sorry and that I still trust you.”

And so, everything ended, but Icetales was at a loss of what to say. He rubbed his cheek with his leftmost tail, slowly digesting everything that Koamaru had admitted. And… that he trusted him.

Bejirah. I am a fool.

That is nothing new. Thou hast been reminded all thy life that thou art a fool.

Oh? Funny that thou did not say ‘we are fools’, darkness mine.

Because thou art the only fool here.


How helpful. Very helpful, indeed.

Well, retreating into his mind to ponder things carefully was out of the question, so he decided to just… wing it.

“Sir Koamaru, I appreciate thou telling me about all of this, and explaining the situation thou were roped in. That sounded,” he sighed, “like a very delicate situation, indeed.”

Icetales looked away.

“I shall be absolutely frank: I was indeed wounded upon finding out that you all withheld vital information from the team. It was painful to realize that some members of our team did not entrust what they found out to others nor warned them about what was to come. It made me wonder what kind of team we were, to begin with, and question our unity and entente.”

The Ninetales’s tails twitched erratically for a few seconds, but then they stopped. Whatever overwhelming feeling that was invading the fox had dissipated.

“…At least, this is what I believed back then. But on hindsight, I… believe we all were carried away by our emotions, and the insecurities of some members of our team surfaced in full strength.” He looked down. “Mine sure did…”

Icetales took a deep breath and shook his head. No. There was no point in dwelling on that anymore.

“Howbeit… now I understand. There was some sensible and dangerous information in play, and we have suffered the consequences of leaked vital information in the past. So… I cannot blame some folks for preferring to be more discreet this time around. As a butler, I know well about discretion and that silence is golden, under certain circumstances.”

With those words, he turned back to Koamaru and flashed a small smile. “For this reason, I do not think any less of thee nor anyone else, Sir Koamaru. I believe that you all chose to do that out of good faith, and I cannot blame you for trying to do your best for the sake of the team.”

His smile widened slightly, even if there was a glint of sadness in his eyes. “As such… I accept thy apologies, and… I sure hope thou will forgive me about… well, the entire Voidlands issue. I did not mean to offend thee in any way. I was just concerned, and… I apologize, too.”
 

Flyg0n

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Koa stood there, quiet. He wasn’t sure what to expect. A reprimand? A lecture in the ways he’d failed? Disgust? He wouldn’t have blamed him if he wanted nothing more to do with him.

Just like his own fa-

But as Icetales spoke, his fear and shame changed to confusion, then a strangled sense of relief. Did Icetales… not hate him for what he’d done? He didn’t want to turn him away or cast him aside or leave him?

He understood?

A strange mixture of unexplainable emotion churned through him. An ache still lingered, yet the knowledge that Icetales was willing to forgive him lightened it. That he wasn't thought less of by him.

For a long moment, he didn’t speak, absorbing everything the Ninetales had said. “Thank you,” he said quietly, emotion wavering his voice. He wasn’t sure what else to say. A simple thank you seemed to pale in comparison, but it was all he could think of. There was so much unsaid he couldn't figure out how to express.

“And… its ok. I know you just wanted to protect me.” Even if he had been annoyed at the time. It was odd, the feeling that someone else out there, other than Blake he supposed, was trying to look out for him. He wasn't sure how he felt about it... yet it wasn't entirely unwanted either. "I’m guess I’m used to handling things on my own is all. But thank you anyway.”
 

Cresselia92

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Ah, it seemed that whatever tension there was between them was slowly evaporating, alongside the doubts that clouded their respective minds. That was good. Very good.

“Hmm. Yes, I am used to handle things by myself, too, so I understand thy point of view,” said Icetales, nodding. “Even though, in my case it was more a forced situation, rather than… well, a choice of mine.” He sighed and closed his eyes. “A consequence of being ostracized by my own family, without any knowledge of how to survive in the world outside of the castle. I had to adapt fast… in more than one occasion…”

Icetales let those words linger for a while, still feeling uncertain about telling everything about himself. However, Koamaru trusted him, so he was going to trust him back.

“…Heh. The truth is,” he reopened his eyes, which had a tinge of sorrow inside, “that I was but a young lad when I was forced to fight for my life… in Chaos.” He took a long and deep breath. “I was merely in my fifteen, when that happened. I had plenty of hopes and dreams, and a bright future ahead of me. And then…”

Icetales shivered. Thinking about his past still hurt his heart.

“It was… all darkness. Survival and madness were my only companions.” He looked down. “All I desired was to be accepted. To belong somewhere. And yet, they took everything from me…” His claws dug into the ground, while his mouth twisted into a snarl. “My family… killed my hopes and dreams, because they never accepted me…”
 

Flyg0n

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Chills rippled through Koa.

To be abandoned by family like that. Cast aside.... His heart twisted. He wished he could help more or fix what happened but...

He couldn't.

Icetales had suffered so much... He knew a fraction of it from their previous conversations but. It made him angry.

Someone as good as Icetales didn't deserve such poor treatment. It wasn't fair. He wanted to shout and scream. To fight his family for what they'd done but-

Maybe Icetales didn't need his anger.

Maybe he needed a friend and a listening ear.

Perhaps... Even if he couldn't help what had been done to Icetales he could offer some comfort. The way others had done for him in the past.

Impulse seized him and he reached out, wrapping Icetales into an awkward, one-armed hug.

"I'm sorry Icetales, you didnt deserve that... It wasn't your fault. You're a good person."

And he meant every word of it.
 

Namohysip

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A great swooping noise sounded above them. "Sorry we're late!" Buffet called; beside him was Owen, who landed heavily on his feet, followed by grunting and remarking about the sloppy landing. Buffet levitated beside him. "I'm here to guide you along. Oh, dear, I hope you weren't waiting for too long!"

Owen observed Koa and Icetales carefully. Something seemed to be off about them... Was Icetales getting upset over something again? He hoped this wasn't related to why he'd be heading to the Edge...
 

Cresselia92

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While Icetales was somewhat expecting some compassion thrown at him, what he didn’t expect was for Koamaru to pull him into a hug. He felt his breath cutting and his tails quivering, surprised by that action.

And then…

"I'm sorry Icetales, you didnt deserve that... It wasn't your fault. You're a good person."

Icetales had to use all his willpower to not begin crying. He was going to pull through it. He… he had to!

But he wanted to show that he appreciated the support, so he wrapped his own paw on Koamaru’s back. Some most seeped from his fur, as he expelled his negative thoughts slowly and gently.

“Thanks, Sir Koamaru,” he whispered, keeping his voice as steady as he could. “I… appreciate that. This means… plenty to me…”

There was more he wish he could tell, but before he could even think about something, something else caught his attention. His ears swiveled in the direction of the noise, and he pulled himself away slightly to see who had arrived.

Ha! It was Buffet and Owen. Good.

“Oh! Um… Greetings, good sirs,” said Icetales, slowly letting go of Koamaru’s embrace and focusing on the two dragons. He noticed Owen staring at him, but he decided to go straight to the point. “It is all right, do not worry. I was just discussing some matters with Sir Koamaru here.” He motioned toward the Manectric and showed him a small grateful smile, before looking at his would-be guides. “Nothing concerning.”

The Ninetales shook his body and took a more dignified pose. That meant business.

“So, as this is my first time doing a spiritual journey — or however it is called — is there something I must know beforehand? Like, how do I locate the soul? Do I have to perform some ritual, or…?”
 

Namohysip

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"Owen, you're familiar with flight through Spirits' Edge at this point, are you not?"

The Charizard nodded. "It's not too hard anymore. I'll follow your lead."

"Good. Then if that's the case, why don't you give Icetales a ride?" Buffet then nodded at Koa. "I'll show you the way. Sunny will start the journey and I will meet you there!"

They passed into the building and went through the usual ceremonies. Soon, Icetales and Koa found themselves standing in the astral plane, with a starry-looking Buffet floating next to Owen, who seemed just a little brighter than usual.
 

Flyg0n

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This was all so strange. He'd known about Spirit's Edge, at least vaguely. But he'd never planned on coming here. But if it meant supporting Icetales, then he would stand by his friend, no matter what.

Still... to actually be here, standing in some kind spirit world was... incredible, to say the least.

He cast a glance at Icetales and grinned before looking around again. "I'm ready, whenever you are."
 

Cresselia92

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An imaginary sweatdrop rolled on the back of Icetales’ head at the mention of “flight” and “ride”.

Should I mention that I am acrophobic, or…?

“Or” was the answer, as he found himself on Owen’s back and the group went soaring through across different realities. Icetales grit his fangs as he held back a startled yowl.

By the staaars!

While soaring, he had temporarily closed his eyes, but he could feel the presences around him. They were all to help him in his quest, so he had to steel himself.

Thou can do it, Tenth! Thou can do it, Tenth!

And so, azure eyes shot open. Just like that, any fear he felt melted away, replaced by the marvel of the astral plane surrounding them all. In that new place, Icetales felt almost weightless, a bright star seeking for his cosmos. And, in a sense, that was what he was going to do.

“Golly, this is so… beautiful,” he mused, looking all around the place. He heard Koamaru saying that he was ready to go, and the Ninetales nodded and grinned back. “Yes. I am ready.”

The Ninetales held onto Owen a bit tighter, before gazing at Buffet. “Very well. I wager I should give some information about who I am looking for, yes?” He gazed at some distant point, his tails flicking. “I am looking for Mother. She is a departed soul, a wandering spirit, and a blessed Ninetales. I am not sure how her soul should look like, but… she had royal blood, I can say this much.” He tilted his head. “Does that help?”
 

Namohysip

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"That should be just fine," Buffet said. "Departed souls are sometimes more difficult to find. Sometimes, they have passed into the Overworld and could be somewhere other than the world they'd come from. If that happens, I could try using someone related as a stepping stone still in your world... but that is still not as easy. I will do what I can!"

And so, Buffet continued through the stars, and Owen followed with ease. Curiously, neither of them used their wings to fly, even if Owen had them flared outward. It seemed more like he was drifting by some other force.
 

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Koa clung to his perch on Buffet, still awed by everything around him. He felt a little jealous of Owen, who seemed to have no trouble gliding through this strange plane.

He watched Icetales briefly, wondering how the Ninetales was truly doing. What did he hope to find by seeking his mothers spirit?

His thoughts drifted a little further. If one could connect to the spirit of anyone they knew... could he visit someone? Who would he even try to visit? It was a curious thought for sure. Maybe Blake? That thought was amusing. Blake would absolutely freak out if he knew what Koa was doing here.

For now, though, most of his thoughts remained on Icetales. He intended to support him however he could.
 

Cresselia92

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“I understood, Sir Buffet.” Icetales looked ahead, a determined expression burned on his face. “May the stars lead our path.”

As they kept flying forward, the air around them seemed to change. Anyone floating in that place would feel like they are drifting through a series of bubbles, separated by thick layers of supernatural azure energy. Though, despite the initial appearance, those walls were still surprisingly easy to pierce and get through, and unleashed a soft azure mist as they were dissipated by those unknown presences.

Icetales took a few careful looks around, noticing what seemed to be black and purple nebulas, with some multicolored sparks and embers floating aimlessly around the place.

“Those are… They seem to be wandering souls,” commented Icetales, staring intently at a green spark that had floated close to the group.

The entity zipped left and right, while the silhouette of a green-tinted Snover flickered into view. The not-so-living tree tilted their head curiously, wondering what kind of souls they were witnessing, but then their illusory body disappeared and they departed for an unknown destination.

“…Yes. I have no doubt. This is the Twilight.”

Feeling heartened by that discovery, Icetales doubled his efforts to try to spot the soul of his Mother. She had to be around there… right?

Unbeknownst to him, his presence had attracted the attention of a nearby ember, which burned with a purple light and drifted after the group.

That soul… looks so familiar…
 

Flyg0n

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Koa let out a slow breath as he took in the the sight. This was.... incredible. Yet not in the way he felt when looking at a legendary, but in the way that felt much more... somber.

He gazed around at the twinkling lights, feeling on odd tingle of emotions. "What is this place?" he asked quietly, turning to Icetales.

Something flickered at the corner of his vision and he thought he spied another soul, though he didn't think much of it.
 
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