Destiny Colosseum ~ Training Rooms

[Chibi Pika]

Starr scoffed. "Nah, definitely doesn't requiring doing any specific motion. Hell, I didn't even know what mine would do when I first managed to use it, it was more like..."

What had it been like? That day they'd first touched that light and felt its burn...

"When I first got my Radiance, it was like I was just compelled to... go faster, hit harder, be better." (No matter how much it hurt.) "Like some kind of itch that wouldn't be scratched unless I did that." Yeah, like that didn't sound dumb as hell to anyone who hadn't experienced it for themselves.

She let out a sigh, rubbing the back of her head. "Alright, new approach--if you focus on the light, is there anything that you feel like you need to do? Like, instinctively."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate thought back to the battle with Joule. Had she been thinking about anything during that fight? She could've sworn she was just focusing on trying not to get swatted while throwing an attack back when she could.

Unless... maybe she needed to try and put herself back into that state. Kate went and fetched a Substitute and set it out on the field before making her way back and inhaling sharply. She tried to turn her mind back to that one moment as much as possible, playing her springing slash over and over again before she rushed forward in a zig-zagging motion. The Sneasel felt warmth flow through her body and time seem to slow, when she looked off at her claws and saw that one again they were glowing gold.

"Ah! I'm doing it! I'm doing-!"

Only for the warmth to suddenly fade along with their glow, and the Sneasel to blow by the Substitute entirely. Kate skidded to a stop, looking back at the entirely untouched Substitute before she let out a sour frown.

"Well, I was doing it for a moment," she sighed. "Was... I focusing on the wrong thing about the battle? Since I didn't remember your Radiance just fading like that."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Dammit. They'd almost had a breakthrough there. Man, it had been ages since she'd had to teach one of her team to use new moves. Plus, there was kind of the fact that regular moves had something to go off, as opposed to all the nebulous bullshit surrounding Radiance.

Starr tapped a claw to her arm, thinking. "Well, I'd definitely say that focusing on whatever headspace you were in back then is the way to go, yeah. Might've been easier with a fuckoff light dragon making so you didn't have a choice," she added with a snort. "Actually--was there any sort of feeling like you had to put a dent in him no matter what? Some kind of desperate vibe... I'm just spitballing here."

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Dammit. They'd almost had a breakthrough there. Man, it had been ages since she'd had to teach one of her team to use new moves. Plus, there was kind of the fact that regular moves had something to go off, as opposed to all the nebulous bullshit surrounding Radiance.

Starr tapped a claw to her arm, thinking. "Well, I'd definitely say that focusing on whatever headspace you were in back then is the way to go, yeah. Might've been easier with a fuckoff light dragon making so you didn't have a choice," she added with a snort. "Actually--was there any sort of feeling like you had to put a dent in him no matter what? Some kind of desperate vibe... I'm just spitballing here."

Kate thought back to the fight with Joule and what she could've been specifically thinking back then of that she was overlooking when it hit her. During the fight, Joule was giving everyone trouble by constantly spewing attacks everywhere. When she took her swing at him, she must've been thinking of trying to slow him down, too!

It was admittedly a shot in the dark, but it was as good a lead as any right now.

"Alright," the Sneasel said. "I think I might have something."

The Sneasel took her place again, and dashed at the Substitute once more. All the while she turned her thoughts back to the battle with Joule as one rough thought kept looping in her mind:

"Gah! Slow down already!"

Just then, warmth flowed through Kate's body as the doll neared. The Sneasel sighted a golden glow from the corner of her eyes, but this time, she paid it no heed, and sliced down on the Substitute.

Thwip!

Kate came to a stop just past the Substitute, exhaling sharply and looking back to see it'd been freshly gouged with ice spreading out from the site of the slash. The Sneasel looked down at her claws, catching the sight of them glowing gold briefly before returning to normal, when she blinked and shot back a smile at Starr.

"So... did I get it that time?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr flashed a toothy grin. "Hell yeah, that was Radiant alright. Nice one." She walked forward to take a look at the substitute, inspecting the glittering frost spreading out from the slashes. It wasn't true ice--a small bit of heat, and the frost melted into beads of light instead of water droplets.

She turned back towards Kate and said, "Whatever you felt just now, you'll want to hold onto that, cause I'm betting that's how you'll be able to do it again. Although... I don't know if anyone warned you yet--after using a bunch of Radiance in a short time, you'll probably feel..."--how to put it--"uninhibited, I guess? Like there's nothing holding you back. To be honest, the way some people on the team act, you'd swear they were drunk, just minus the shitty coordination and such. Would be kinda hard to fight with that." Then there was... the other side effect of high Radiance. Ugh. How to explain that...

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate mulled over Starr's advice. So, to use her Radiant move, she had to focus on slowing down other 'mons? Given that it did that to Joule after she used it on him, she suppose it tracked. Though what were these...

"Side effects?" she asked. "I mean, I can buy the whole uninhibited thing since I honestly have been getting a warm feeling when using this move kinda like after a good pint or two. But I didn't feel tipsy from it. What is this other thing that can happen to me that you're batting at?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr gave Kate a crooked smirk. "Yeah, probably best to get that one outta the way. Uh... long story short, too much Radiance and you'll pretty much wind up using Self-Destruct whether you like it or not." There really was no way to make it sound any better. "But like, you pretty much gotta be trying for it to get that bad. Stuff wears off real fast, like you've seen."

Hell, had anyone on the team exploded other than Astrid? And no one could pretend that wasn't intentional on her part.

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

Kate blinked at Starr's explanation of Pokémon winding up using Self-Destruct after abusing Radiance too much. Not that it sounded like a fun experience, but how common could that be if nobody batted an eye at using their Radiant moves? Besides, everyone got better from it afterwards, didn't they?

"Meh, das Glück hilft den Tapferen. I'm not exactly a stranger to having to take risks to get things done, so I'm sure I'll manage," the Sneasel said, before cracking a smile back.

"Not that you really seem like the type to shrink away from that yourself."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr snorted. "Well, that's good, cause you probably don't need me to tell you that there's gonna be a hell of a lot more risky shit in our future. Then again, you probably wouldn't have been pulled here by Diyem if that were a dealbreaker." She had a sudden flicker of memory--herself, chewing out Jade and Ajia for getting involved in risky bullshit that should've had nothing to do with them. God dammit, she really had turned into them.

"Anyway, with a bit of practice and focus, I don't think you have to worry about that anyway," Starr went on, waving a hand dismissively. "You seem competent enough."

She went and retrieved the substitute that she'd initially set up for a demonstration. "Suppose I should probably get off my ass and do some training now. Wanna grab some food and catch up afterward?"

 

[Spiteful Murkrow]

"Heh, sounds good to me," the Sneasel said. "Who knows? Maybe I'll pick up a new trick or two from you while we're at it!"

Kate and Starr turned their attention back to the battlefield, their practice with their techniques flying by much like the hours had at Spinda's Cafe with Luz. Perhaps this Radiance really did give a 'mon a buzz not wholly unlike drinking. But there would be plenty of time to try and tease out the mysteries of Cibus and Radiance, for now, there were Substitutes to cut up, and a shared meal to look forward to together afterwards.

<><><>​

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa took the time to warm up once he reached the training rooms. The day was early, but he felt more awake than ever. Brisa had promised to meet him again and help him do more training, and he'd made sure to be up early.

Just like back home, he reflected. Waking up early, doing special training. Only thing missing was his team. At least he had Brisa, she seemed like a good teacher. His last session had been enjoyable. He couldn't wait to see what he could do this time.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa smiled approvingly as her student arrived at the normal time and place. A few weeks into Koa's arrival, and the kid was surpassing expectations. Punctual, enthusiastic, only a little difficult from time to time in that way youths could have. Certainly less difficult than she'd been at his age. And he was fun to train! She needed a bit of fun. Starr insisted.

"Yer still a reliable one, Koa. Good t'see. You been practicin' from where we left off?"

 

[Flyg0n]

"Yeah! I was trying out the move I did last time." His mind flashed back to his conversation with Bahamut a few days ago. Ever since he'd heard about that, it had been running through his mind.

"So is it really true that you explode if you use radiance too much?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa made a sort of grimace. Someone had put it like that, huh? Such a violent word for it. Not inaccurate, though.

"Ah, yeah. The technique you used last time won't build up radiance in yer body, it ain't that kinda move. So it's safe. But there are consequences to usin' the Blacklight, that you'll need to watch fer if you figure out other techniques. We'd best talk about this stuff now, afore you go an' do yerself a mischief."

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa let out a sigh. Well that was one less thing to worry about. Although he supposed even if he did over use this Radiance stuff, he would only explode. Which was survivable, somehow.

"Oh ok."

He tilted his head, regarding Brisa curiously.

"Are there other consequences I should know?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded. Best to give him the full run-down. After all, he was already approaching basic mastery of core combat proficiencies, and the best thing for him now was to start picking up Blacklight techniques.

"The more Radiance you take on, the less of a barrier there'll be between what y'want and what y'mean to do. Unfiltered intention. If y'get carried along by it... You'll act without thinkin' at all. Eventually, the Radiance will seep into yer aura, and even yer regular moves will become Radiant. That's an incredible power. Radiance can put the hurt on just about anythin', but once that starts happenin' it's not long until yer energy bursts out of ya, yer body unable to hold it in any longer. It's not totally debilitatin', but it's sore painful. I don't recommend it."

Brisa couldn't help but give a fleeting chagrined look as she recalled how she'd been the first team member to explode, all that time ago.

 

[Flyg0n]

Radiance... So powerful but so dangerous. It sounded so fascinating. Despite the obvious dangers he felt excited. Finally. He had a good feeling about this training session. He was ready.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

He was taking it in. Good. Brisa liked attentive students. Now might be the best time to tell him about Shadow, too, while he was receptive.

"Shadow is similar. Whatever secret, uncomfortable thoughts y'got buried away'll rise to the surface when yer full of Shadow. You won't explode, but once yer brimmin' with th'stuff, it'll saturate yer aura just as much as Radiance, an' you'll soon be face-to-face with all yer hidden fears an' dark intentions. It ain't always bad. Shadow ain't evil. But you'll lose control either way. When yer Shadow is in control, you'll fall outta sync with the team, 'cause yer angry, or afraid, or hurt some other way. Fer me... I turned on my friends the first time my Shadows rose too high, an' it came out as..."

She balked, conscious that there was no way to accurately describe the experience without risking spooking the kid. But he'd taken to the looming task of fighting incredible foes with such bravado...

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa hesisted, suddenly a little unnerved. Hidden fears? Dark intentions? Just what did she mean? What kind of... of shadows did she have? He steeled himself. Whatever it was, he could handle it. He wanted to handle it.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Sky an' stars, I guess y'oughta hear it. Okay."

Brisa closed her eyes, unable to say the words. While she struggled, there was a sigh in the air, and the soft pawsteps of Sombra, emerging from her body.

"I floated above her as she begged to be killed so she couldn't hurt anyone again," said the Shadow, in her voice like rustled leaves.