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Brisa nodded, and said nothing more, but for a tiny shimmering thread of Radiance that let her tell Truffle, you are loved; you are needed – don't forget. And with that, she gave Maple a dry smile and a dip of the head, and put her paw on Icetales' withers to steady herself as they left. Luz...

Brisa sighed, relief pouring off her with a small shudder. Thank fuck for that. "Good man," she muttered. "Try not t'scare folks like that again, y'hear? There's still a good deal of good left fer you to do in yer life." She reached out a paw and placed it on his wing. "After all, you're a...

"What of yer daughter?" asked Luz, earnestly. "She needs you." Brisa winced. "Y'should speak to a therapist, fella. They got good ones here. Real gold standard professionals. Just let... Let folks help you."

Brisa took some moments to come to terms with what Maple had said. Salt and sand and spite... It was too grim to countenance. Fucked up. Wrong. But how to get the old bird to think differently, when he was so lost in it...? The duty to live is greater'n the duty to die, said a familiar voice, a...

Brisa's face soured, and she averted it from Truffle to hide her expression. Luz filled the silence. "I think we're all interpretin' that correctly. Truffle... You shouldn't've accepted the challenge without makin' yer opponents aware of those terms. Yer own ideals may be what they may, but it...

"It matters t'me," pressed Brisa. "An' I'd rather hear it from you." She padded a little closer and sat on her haunches. "Tell me what the hell I saw out there, fella."

"The will of a warrior," Brisa repeated. "What does that mean, exactly? You talkin' 'bout havin' a battleheart, or somethin' else? You practically seemed..." Like Toffee, she thought. Though with a cheerful disposition and a defensive style, this was the second time she'd fought an insane bird...

"You gotta retire, man," said Brisa, her heart heavier than lead.

Brisa eyed Truffle, trying to see a path that ended with the old bird getting his head screwed on a bit more tightly, and not only a respected friend who she'd gravely wounded. "Did anyone confer that 'duty' on you, or didja determine it fer yerself?" she asked, levelly.

Brisa closed her eyes a moment, biting back the acid comment that had come to mind first. "I can't say I agree with all that, partner," she growled, softly. "It weren't an all-or-nothin' fight, it was a casual sportin' battle. Weren't appropriate fer you t'risk yer health like that." She felt...

Brisa tried to smile, though she couldn't help chewing her cheek. "No hard feelings, then? I keep thinkin' I shoulda trusted the stats screen an' quit attackin'. I..." Damnit, she'd been stupid. The Colo's instruments weren't always accurate, sure. It seemed like every other fight, someone got...

Brisa had spent the intervening time sitting in quiet anxiety with Luz and Icetales until they would be permitted visitation. She didn't text anyone. She didn't talk. She waited. Now that she saw him, immersed in reading and not at all d– ...Not how she'd expected, her heart calmed a little...

"Alright. Let's get to it." Luz turned to leave. "And Diyem? Thanks fer nothin'. I hope you chuck up another loose soul, you unhelpful blackguard." She smirked to herself and strode to the exit. "C'mon, y'all. We got a spy to root out."

Luz nodded, and straightened up. "Alright. I reckon I'd want to get Zeraora-shade Lexx to help me quiz Chip, an' I'd gladly have you along with me fer the others, Owen. Are you, uh . . . close, with Truffle? Fella told me his goddamn true name. I really don't... I really don't wanna believe...

Luz blew out a long breath, or an approximation of one. "Believe it or not, I've been takin' a lotta notes and listenin' in on the chatter. Communin' with Brisa about it, too, afore her . . . absence. It don't come easy to me, this investigatin' stuff, but Brisa asked me to take it seriously...

"I sure hope so," said Luz, quietly. She let the thought sit for a moment. "Thanks, partner, I appreciate the advice. I'll think on that a spell. While I've got your attention, though, I've been meanin' to ask if you've found any leads on this spyin' business. My gal's itchin' to get stuck...

"I guess." Luz fidgeted with one paw, cracking imaginary knuckles over and over. "Not t'say I ain't worried about how I'll handle the splittin' up of Team Spectrum once this is all over, and . . . losin' Brisa, but it ain't just that. Hmm... Say, S'more. Haven't you kinda 'seen it all' by now...

S'more didn't seem concerned by the matter. Perhaps his relationships with those mentioned were good, or he just had other concerns? Luz laughed a little sheepishly. "Well, yer a hero from ancient times. You've surely lived through a lotta strife. I just find myself wonderin' lately... Well...

Luz scratched her chin in thought. "So, you must have quite the storied history, huh. You said y'helped build the world, but also that yer an Ascended fella? That a responsibility you took on after defeatin' whatever yer omen was?" She peered at the small pokémon, probably one of the most...

Luz nodded. "Yeah, I gotta say, that all tracks! Don't worry, it won't bother me none." Luz hadn't heard all that much about S'more, save for that he was well-respected, a serious, straightlaced fellow by all accounts. "Say, partner. Yer the chief of the guild, right? How'd that come about...