Tree of Life ~ Exterior

[Flyg0n]

"Well thats a relief," Koa said. It really wasn't. In fact, it sounded like a nightmare. "You sure do good protecting the Tree then. I hope there's no way to disable or get past the projections though, is there? I wouldn't want the spy to try that. Although if you told us more about your lovely tree, we can be ready to stop them," he offered. He did his best to sound somewhere between genuinely concerned and curious, although it killed him to speak like that when he was look at the horrific sight before him.

It wasn't right and he hated the thought of legendaries being corrupted, or used. Was someone controlling Xerneas? Or was it just some strange for of corruption?

Still, he needed to stay focused. Whatever information they could gather would be critical. "And Diyem, would you help protect the Tree too, if something happened? No matter what?"

 

[ntmymike]

"That's nice to know I guess..." Miles replied still looking at their enveloping state. Clearly, things were not natural but can someone like him able to tell what is natural for beings like them? They sounded fine. They don't seem fine. It's all confusing but... maybe he should trust their word? Still, there's something he wanted to ask

"Xerneas, Diyem, and Eina too, everyone emits a different kind of power sources right? Maybe they are mixing together right now and make you act..." Miles held back his word a little, hoping they won't get mad at him "strange?"

 

[Namohysip]

Diyem glared at Miles, then looked away. "If someone were to try to harm the tree, I would... Xerneas must defend it, therefore I will as well."

But we don't have a choice at this point, Owen told the others. We... need to prepare an assault against the Tree of Life. Eien's energy corrupted Diyem too much. If we wait too long... he might not...

"What are all these questions?" Xerneas pressed. "Is there really anything more you need?"

"No, not really," Owen said." Sorry for, uh, bothering you." And we'll have to attack the Tree without Diyem's help. We need to get Diyem back. And once Maple finds out what happened, she's going to coordinate for us anyway...

 

[Phoenixsong]

"I think..." Skara glanced warily at the rest of the group. "I... think that's all. Thank you for your patience. It's good to reaffirm that you're both... well." The vikavolt clicked her mandibles a few times, desperate to think of something, anything useful before they were ushered away. "The rest of the team will be glad to hear that as well, I'm sure. Is there anything else you'd like us to tell them before we leave, by the way? Anything else you think they should know? An encouraging status report on Eien, perhaps?"

 

[Namohysip]

Silence. "Eien..." Diyem nodded, but Xerneas coiled a little tighter around him, and the Charizard tensed. Seconds passed. And then he relaxed. "...It will all be over soon..." And that was all he said.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Skara could list about twenty-seven different ways in which that response was not remotely comforting, but it didn't seem like getting any of them cleared up was going to happen at this point. Any further preparation was going to have to come from working with Maple or from bashing their own heads against the problem until someone clever came up with something. She just nodded curtly and prepared to head back, trying hard not to imagine how many coils would be wrapped around Diyem upon their return.

 

[Flyg0n]

He shuddered. So many coils. "Oh its all going to be over?" Koa asked. The words felt bitter on his tongue. Always something, always someone. Still, it wasn't quite like he hadn't know what he might be getting into when he'd come here. Although this was pretty freaky. "Well thats good," he said, barely able to keep the sarcasm from his tone.

He flopped down casually. "I think I might wait here though. Make sure no one else bothers you guys," he offered.

 

[Namohysip]

The coils pulsated in response and Xerneas scowled again. "Do what you want," he said, "but we're going to be inspecting the Tree ourselves later."

"Ngh... alright." Owen sighed. "You guys be careful, alright? We'll check in now and then and give more information about what's going on. Be careful." He looked at the others, but then nodded. There wasn't more for them to do without too much risk. Maybe later... they could find a way to free Diyem.

And the solution was probably somewhere in that tree...

<><><>​

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave approached the Tree warily, uncomfortably aware that somewhere in there, Maple and Eien were duking it out with power that could rip all of Team Spectrum apart.

He kept his nose to the ground for smells, just in case. If Soda really didn’t want to be found, fat chance that’d help any, but…

“Soda?” he called, raising his head up as he came up to the roots of the tree. “You there? I just want to talk.”

 

[Namohysip]

The ground rumbled occasionally with that power. The Tree of Life was a restricted zone, officially speaking--even more than usual. Only those with clearance, like Team Spectrum, were allowed in the area. Joule had dropped Dave off, and was waiting far off for when he'd be needed to send Dave back to Destiny Village.

Soda didn't immediately appear. Was he around?

It was very, very faint... but there seemed to be something akin to a Zoroark's scent here. That weak tinge of darkness, like a cold sting... By now such scents would have faded completely unless there was a regular visitor.

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave looked around, wary. If Soda didn't want to see him that didn't really bode well. "Soda?" he said again. "It's just me. There's some shit you really need to know. I think somebody's been fucking with your memory."

 

[Namohysip]

More silence and Soda's scent was getting a little stronger. The Tree of Life rumbled. Maple roared within--she still had a lot of vitality in her, it seemed.

"...So you're here already?" Soda called from a nearby tree, sitting on one of the firmer branches. "Thought you guys were gonna try to confront Maple and Eien a little later."

 

[Dragonfree]

"Like I said. It's just me." Dave took a cautious step towards Soda's tree, then another. He took a deep breath. "I wanted to talk to you. About your memories. You remember when you told me you couldn't remember the talk you had with your partner, the morning after she attacked you?"

 

[Namohysip]

Soda scowled a little, then glanced at the sky for something. "Yeah, I remember," he said. On his mane there was a yellow bauble, which matched Soda's description of things. "What, just because I can't remember something from a while ago, suddenly my memories are all messed up?"

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave kept his gaze on Soda. Was that the moon he was trying to look for in the sky? Wondering, perhaps, what the delay was, why nothing'd happened yet. His stomach clenched. "Well, we talked to the substitute with the green gem and it turns out there's a lot of shit he said he couldn't remember. The argument that you had about her ascending. What your world's Arceus was like, day-to-day. How old you were before you got locked out." He watched for any reaction.

 

[Namohysip]

"Aaaah." Soda waved nonchalantly at Dave. "What's the big deal? So I forgot some of the details. That's what happens when you leave something alone for a few years." If Soda was giving off any reaction, it might have been hidden by illusions. "What's so special about Green? He was just the one designated to keeping an eye on Flesh."

 

[Dragonfree]

"He came to sit in on a meeting we were having. Talked a bit, asked him about some of this. I know you know this matters because he knew." Dave's heart pounded uncomfortably. "Well, he agreed to have Breaker take a look at him. She said his mind was like broken glass stitched back together. Somebody really fucked him up. And you just confirmed you don't remember any of this shit either, so chances are somebody fucked Prime up. You're being used, and Prime probably played right into the hands of whoever did it when he went to the moon. Wondering why he hasn't done it yet? I figure that's why." He took a deep breath. "Whoever did it, we want to stop them and help Prime."

Adne's name was on the tip of his tongue, but he held back. Only if he needed it.

 

[Namohysip]

Yellow gave Dave a harsh look, a combination of skepticism and contempt. "...Y'know, if anyone else tried telling me this, I'd think they're just trying to trick me," he said, "but now I'm wondering if you're being controlled or some shit. You're talking nonsense. There's no way Green would just agree with whatever that shit you just said is. Breaker must've messed with his head. Or maybe all of yours. Ever consider that? She works right below Arceus, y'know."

 

[Dragonfree]

What the fuck had he even expected. Dave took another deep breath. "I asked him what I could say to prove he was on board. He told me her name is Adne."

 

[Namohysip]

It was like the whole air of the Primordial Forest had changed just then. Everything seemed a little quieter; the trees were cautiously somber. And the smirk on Yellow's face had frozen, then melted into a frown.

"What the fuck did you say?" he asked, only audible because everything else had gone dead silent.