Destiny Colosseum ~ Training Rooms

[Namohysip]

"Maybe," Owen replied. "This whole Overworld business makes that hard to judge. How time passes from world to world and things like that. There's really no telling when we'll meet again, but, well, forever's a long time. And kind of scary. But... y'know. One day at a time." Owen looked at Mia. "What do you think you'll look like? We still don't know if how you look now is permanent or not."

 

[Dragonfree]

Mia tilted her head. "We don't know anything about what we'll look like after hatching. There hasn't been anyone like us. But I want to be more solid."

 

[Namohysip]

"More solid, huh? So you can attack things better?" Owen guessed.

 

[Dragonfree]

"Yes. This one absorbs impact. Eternatus has solid armor. That would be nice."

 

[Namohysip]

"That's true," Owen remarked, nodding. "I hope we can free Eien from whatever's got her. Maybe if we do that, she can help you guys get stronger or, you know, learn about yourselves more..."

 

[Dragonfree]

"Maybe." Mia paused. "Do you think we will become Eternatus?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Hmm... I don't know," Owen said. "Maybe, but I don't think Eternatus start off the way you do normally. Otherwise, I think Diyem would have recognized it right off, y'know?"

 

[Dragonfree]

"I know that. But if we don't become Eternatus, then Eien doesn't know how to make us strong or learn about ourselves either. We'll be something new."

 

[Namohysip]

"That's true... But she might still have insight. You're at least part Eternatus, right? Maybe you're both Eternatus and Darkness... Y'know? A new species, kind of."

 

[Dragonfree]

"Then Diyem could just as well do that," Mia said. "Eien wouldn't know any more than him."

 

[Namohysip]

"I guess. But maybe if they pool their knowledge they'd know more." Owen nodded, then sighed. "But... You know, I think it'll work out for you. As long as we can save Eien and stuff, but... I don't really see Diyem not being able to do that." Owen paused, then looked at Mia. "Do you worry? Or is that more caution?"

 

[Dragonfree]

Mia looked blankly at him. "No. We will be fine. Even if we don't save Eien. There doesn't have to be somebody else who knows how to be me. The other me didn't have anyone like that either."

 

[Namohysip]

Yeah, but she's dead, Owen thought to himself. "Right... And even if you don't have Eien, or even Diyem, you guys will have each other. I think it'll work out." He grinned. "It was good talking to you, actually, Mia. It's kind of nice to meet someone else who can see battle in, you know, the way I do, in a way."

 

[Dragonfree]

Mia cocked her head. "It is good to have other people who like fighting. We should fight sometime. Maybe after I hatch."

 

[Namohysip]

"Maybe!" Owen giggled at that, tail crackling at the prospect. If Mia hatched into something powerful, that would be a good sparring match indeed.

...And probably some worrying implications, but they'd tackle that when they got there.

"Let's get some more training in," Owen said. They still had some energy to spare.

<><><>​

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa trotted through the hallway near the training rooms, sniffing the air occasionally. The notion of actually tracking someone by scent was... pretty weird still. But useful. Starr had come this way, and all that remained was figuring out which training room she was using.

Ever since what happened in Maple's Voidlands, he couldn't stop thinking about her. Something about the way she'd spoke, the words she'd said... His heart ached oddly thinking about it. He needed to talk to her.

Was she like him?

His ear twitched and he glanced towards one of the rooms and sniffed the air again. There she was. With some hesitation, he stepped into the room, trying his best to look casual.

She was at one end of the room, and it looked like she might've just finished wailing on a substitute. He paused.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe she wouldn't want to talk to anyone, especially someone she barely knew. He could just turn around and leave...

Just act normal.

"Hey Starr," he called casually.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr's ears flicked toward the door. She'd been pretty focused, and hadn't expected to run into anyone else this late. (Not that the training rooms were ever private, but.)

One last good hit on the substitute and she stood up straight, shaking off the dark aura from her last attack. Then she turned around. It was just Koamaru. He looked hesitant.

"Hey," Starr said, walking over to her bag and fishing an Oran Berry out of it. "Need something, or just wanted to say hi?"

 

[Flyg0n]

"Just saying hi," he replied, maybe a little too quickly. "Figured I'd see how you're doing."

As soon as he said the words, he mentally berated himself. The last thing he wanted to do was make her think he pitied her.

"How's training going?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr glanced back at the Substitute that was now fading into wisps of energy. It'd tanked more hits this time--that was good. "Going alright. Practicing moves for colo."

Koamaru was standing awkwardly at the entrance like he wasn't sure if he could enter. "I'd say it's fine to watch, but I was about to take a break," Starr said, taking a bite out of the Oran and feeling a bit of her energy return.

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa took a deep breath. No more small talk. He hated small talk. Better to just say it. "Actually, I came looking for you."

Her words when she'd been corrupted flashed through his mind. Clearly there was more to her story than he understood. But the things she'd said. The way she seemed to see herself... that felt familiar. Like peering into a warped mirror.

"I wanted to talk about what happened in the Voidlands."