Tree of Life ~ Exterior

[Ambyssin]

“Are you listening to yourself? You’re listing off his features like some swooning adolescent.” Bahamut vaguely recalled Esper having a phrase for this kind of behavior. Sun-deer? Sun-dare? Something like that.

 

[Disco]

Raven was now very confused. "Why do you want to see him if you dislike him so much?"

 

[Namohysip]

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Xerneas said, pacing around. "I can't get him out of my head. His..." He shuddered. "I need to see him for closure. So I can tell him how awful he must have been to the Xerneas of his world. I..." His hooves dug into the dirt. "Why can't you just call him over now?"

 

[Ambyssin]

"Well, I'm given to understand he's had some sort of stomach disturbance as of late." Unbeknownst to Xerneas, Bahamut had his badge inside his ethereal body, hidden behind his crystal chasis to record everything the conversation. The others wanted proof something was wrong with Xerneas? They'd get their damn proof. He'd smother Xerneas in lies if necessary.

"The healers at the guild will not let him out of their sight." He shook his head, tsking. "He's quite miserable cooped up in the infirmary. And not in the kind of way a creature of darkness would enjoy, either. Rather, something his enemies might pay good money to see.

"If you're that desperate to see him, why not go there yourself? We've watched the Tree and have done nothing to it." Bahamut raised an upper wing. A Shining Blade formed in it. "If anyone tried, I would simply kill them. End of story."

 

[Namohysip]

"I--no. I can't leave the Tree. It's very important. Bring him here, then. I'm not leaving the Tree of Life, not again, understand?" Xerneas, becoming more agitated, leaned closer to Bahamut. "Can't you contact him? I'll restore him myself. Simple. I'll show him that I can get past my disgust and show that I'm the bigger Pokemon."

Xerneas' antlers had an odd, red sheen to them.

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut kept a straight face. “Very well. I will head back to Destiny Village and see if I can pry him away from the infirmary.”

He bowed to Xerneas, then floated off toward Primeval Forest. His light was too bright and the badge too deep to be noticed but he believed he had everything he needed.

 

[Disco]

Raven saw the change to his antlers, but quickly ducked her head and turned away to leave as well. She said not a word until Xerneas was out of sight. "...I'll talk to Mellow about what happened." It wasn't necessary to mention everything wrong with what they had just witnessed. Instead, she did as she said she would, and went quiet as she focused on the conversation between her and the other Charmeleon.

 

[Ambyssin]

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Sometime later, Bahamut returned. He followed Diyem, perhaps as a means of making sure the guy couldn't turn tail on him. "We're back." Bahamut thumped his gray tail against the ground. "And I brought Dark Matter."

 

[Namohysip]

"I do not think you understand the amount of dread I am feeling right now," Diyem said, stone-faced, as he walked in front of Bahamut.

"We'll be here to keep you safe," Owen assured him. "Er, right? Xerneas doesn't seem all that strong, right?" He whispered to Bahamut, noticing that Xerneas was too preoccupied with looking Diyem over, studying him.

 

[Disco]

"...Perhaps he won't do anything to hurt him...", Raven whispered back, though she kept her eyes on the Legend.

 

[Ambyssin]

“His antlers sparked with red energy earlier,” Bahamut whispered back. “Something is definitely up.” He pushed Diyem with his tail.

 

[Namohysip]

Diyem stumbled forward and growled at Bahamut, then approached Xerneas. "Yes, hello," he greeted. "What do you want?"

Xerneas leaned down--towering over Diyem--and the Charmeleon refused to back down. But the way his black flame was crackling, he was definitely ready for anything hostile.

"Prove to me that you're not evil," Xerneas said. "Someone as vile as you... what is it about you that makes me give you this opportunity? What do you think?"

"I think you're fucking insane," Diyem replied flatly.

 

[Ambyssin]

"... charming. However did your mate fall for you?" Bahamut deadpanned.

But with Xerneas hopefully preoccupied, Bahamut took his opportunity to again probe the tree with his ESP. There had to be some sort of reaction to Diyem's presence, right?

 

[Disco]

Raven watched in silence, mostly because she was transcribing the conversation back to Mellow. Should anything happen that required intervention, she would act.

 

[Namohysip]

And yet, once again, it didn't look like Eien was going to reply to Bahamut. Perhaps she was still too deep into focusing... or perhaps was sleeping? It was hard to tell.

Xerneas continued to stare. Diyem held his ground, flexing his claws. "Nothing?" Diyem said.

"...When you drew from the Tree, you gave your power to free those within the Voidlands. You did not even think to use it for yourself."

"I did think to use it for myself. that had been an option. A bad one when Team Spectrum is needed for Cibus to save myself and everyone else."

"You thought about something for the greater good. You, Dark Matter."

"If you wish to phrase it that way."

"I am not completely convinced," Xerneas said flatly. "...If you want me to truly be sure that you have become... good..." He narrowed his eyes. "Then I want to see how you behave casually."

"What does that mean."

Xerneas scoffed. "You will spend the night with me."

"Rephrase. Now."

"What do you mean?"

 

[Ambyssin]

There was a thinly-veiled smirk on Bahamut's face. "I believe some of the planets I once traveled to had a name for such festivities. 'Slumber party,' if I'm not mistaken?" He tapped his chin with a wing-claw. "Perhaps I should procure some refreshments? I'm told chips and dip are standard fare for such things."

Bahamut's bag swung into his chest and struck it with an audible thunk. The ultra stone dropped to the ground, barely making a sound against the soft, rich soil.

"And you will, of course, need some activities to do." Bahamut's tail twitched. He hadn't registered the stone fell out of his bag.

 

[Namohysip]

"I don't really see what you're talking about," Owen said, tilting his head. "All you have to do is sleep with him for one night."

"You're doing that on purpose. I refuse to believe you aren't doing that on purpose." Diyem glared back at Owen, whose frown deepened. "Do you know what Xerneas is proposing to me right now?"

"Bahamut called it a slumber party," Owen said. "Can I sleep with you, too?"

"I hate you."

"I'd prefer to be alone with him," Xerneas added. "If you want to stay, it'll have to be in another part of the forest."

"I don't really know if that's... safe," Owen said. "He's our leader, you know? And if something bad happens to him, we might feel it, too."

"Why would it be unsafe with me? I'm the embodiment of life! The keystone entity with Buffet! And since Buffet isn't interested in me anymore--" Xerneas stopped talking. "...It isn't about that. The point is, I'm one of the safest Pokemon to be around. There shouldn't be a problem."

 

[Ambyssin]

"I say you humor him." Bahamut's smirk grew. He would've called Owen a child again were it not to spoil the mood. Though he had gotten a slip of the tongue from Xerneas. He already knew from the others that Buffet wasn't acting like himself. The Worldcore was probably to blame. And now he was saying that, perhaps, he and Buffet were two pieces of a... two-piece puzzle.

Hey, Bahamut wasn't one for analogies. That was more Reshiram and Zekrom's thing.

I think it's important if we figure out if Xerneas' behavior is a result of Darkwhite, Eternatus... or a combination of the two. Don't you agree? he telepathically proposed. I suppose I can skulk around in the forest as back up. Besides, I don't think your mate will blame you for seeking some TLC while she's stuck inside that tree.

"Kh... keh... ha ha..."

The ultra stone had rolled away from the group. It was leaking black ooze, which was bubbling against the soul. Its gurgles were too quiet to hear over Bahamut's voice. It soon began rolling toward the forest, heading out of sight. If one listened, they could hear faint wheezes echoing from the forest until things went silent.

 

[Namohysip]

Owen, however, did notice, if only due to his Perceive. He was about to say something about Xerneas before glancing behind him, then at Bahamut. They were all too busy. He'd inform them later.

"Okay," Owen said, though he still seemed unsure. "I think we can also take shifts, Bahamut. When you're sleeping, I'll be awake, and so on. I can also maybe get some food for you guys from DV? I bet you haven't had a good dinner in a while, Xerneas."

"...I suppose I haven't." Xerneas considered this.

Diyem's glare was turning his eyes black.

"Sounds like a good idea! And maybe dessert, too. Chocolates, maybe."

Diyem's aura flared to life, a black, malevolent fire rising around his whole body.

"That sounds wonderful," Xerneas said. "I haven't had chocolates in so long. And how about... some candles, too?"

"Oh, sure! I bet Diyem can even light them with his tail!"

Xerneas' mind seemed to have gone elsewhere and Owen saw a prime opportunity to stay quiet and project a few thoughts.

Xerneas reacted strongly when I mentioned sleeping with you, and the dinner together, Owen said. I felt it with my Perceive. He definitely has romantic feelings. He wasn't like this last time, but there were hints of it.

...You knew. You always knew. You're a fraud.

If Buffet is being infected by Darkwhite's tendencies, is Xerneas being infected by Eien...?

No, don't ignore me. You fucking psychopath. How long have you been aware of your own missteps and weaponized them?

 

[Ambyssin]

Really now... you're the one who recruited him. You should've been expecting something like this. Bahamut tilted his head at Xerneas' supposed eagerness. However, while doing that, he was also making sure to make his gelatinous body pulsate. Not enough for the naked eye to be seen. Rather, it was his insurance. Or, perhaps, his interference. He didn't need Owen reading his movements. So, the fasciculations and twitches were supposed to throw him off. Like bright flashes to overwhelm the eyesight. Or pins and needles sensations blocking out one's normal sense of touch.

"Actually, I heard from a reliable black dragon that a particular bakery is running a sale," Bahamut piped up. "It was advertised as a 'doomsday sale' when Joule was doing his whole schtick, but they rebranded after that crisis was averted." He put on a sickeningly sweet smile. "I hear their chocolate cake is to die for."