Destiny Colosseum ~ Training Rooms

[ExplosiveTurkey]

"You, of course," Aria replied with a smirk and a suggestive wink. "Couldn't get you out of my head, y'see."

It was the same as always, until the humor in her eyes started to fade, and she let out a soft but audible breath.

"...Time's running out. I was wondering how you were holding up."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa scoffed at the flirtatious joking, and blew Aria a sarcastic kiss in reply, then her expression softened as Aria gave a more serious reason for being here.

"Honestly, I'm fine," she replied, evenly. "Yeah, that other gal I'm goin' back to bein', Luxio Brisa Escarpa... She's got a hell of a tough road ahead, but I reckon she'll make her way to someplace better. And I might be seein' all the 'mon I care about . . . fer the last time . . . real soon. But I get t'see it comin'. It'll be peaceful. I gotta think they'll have decent futures ahead of them too."

She didn't bother hiding how she teared up, but her voice didn't break, and she wiped her eyes dry casually, without fuss. After all, she wasn't lying. Maybe she'd softened it a bit, but she'd still been honest.

"Yeah, time's runnin' out, but I've taken some good advice: 'Make the most of it.' And I surely have."

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

Aria nodded, a melancholic smile crossing her face. "That's good to hear. You... that other gal is going to remember all this someday, and leaving behind regrets would make it hurt all the more."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Sure fuckin' hope so," replied Brisa, forcing a dry grin. "So long as the memories don't all come floodin' back at some awful time. Would hate to vividly recall Starr all of a sudden in the middle of layin' with some gal back home."

She hoped that using humour to cover pain would be something she took back with her. Something of Starr's to stay with her, make things a little easier. Catharsis.

"No regrets," she affirmed. "And you've done some part of yer own in that, fer which I'm grateful. Thanks, Aria. Fer givin' a shit."

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

"And thank you for making it effort well spent," Aria replied, a sardonic edge slipping into her otherwise warm tone. "Not that I'd have stopped, mind. I'm a bit too far gone to ever stop caring."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"You're like me in that regard too, huh? No matter how much grief folks give me, it feels like I'm always givin' out extra chances. I, uh... I wouldn't have the friends and lover that I do now if that weren't true, so I guess I'm doin' somethin' right, there."

She grinned. "I reckon if you stop carin', you lose."

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

Aria pulled a few spare dummies close together, making a somewhat-comfortable pile to sit down on.

"I came close to it a few times. Made for some of the worst days of my life, so I'd hate to know where the next step would've left me," Aria said, a wry smile on her face. "It's painfully easy to start thinking that being alone is for the best."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa skewed her mouth and nodded grimly. "Yeah, I... I started thinkin' that, privately. That maybe after I got back home, the best thing would be to stop wantin' to be around people. Cibus' Legendary guardians are psychologically capable of that, an' there's even a zeraora on this world who's been a recluse fer generations."

Brisa shifted back to luxray form, the better to sprawl herself on the ground.

"I don't reckon I'll go down that path. Other people matter t'me too damn much. What's the use in strivin' if there's no joy in it? And where else can you find real joy but in the company of friends and loved ones?"

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

Aria let out an exaggerated hum. "I don't know, I quite enjoy the voices in my head sometimes."

Then, a pause, as she frowned in thought. "...Huh. I'm not even being sarcastic, when I think about it."

Sliding herself down the pile until she was lying against it instead, Aria crossed her arms behind her head and let out a sigh. "Friends, huh? Our lines of work might have some similarities, but I'd suggest not going off the deep end like I did. Not a whole lotta company to be had there."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"The deep end, as in, professional heroics at the high end of cosmic significance?" asked Brisa, raising a brow. "I kinda figured yer job weren't so different from the way I've spent the past year. Was even kinda envious. How does yer 'regular' life differ so much from the kinda stuff we've each done on Cibus that it's somehow . . . lonesome?"

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

Her eyes remained fixed on the ceiling. "...You have a team. The people of Cibus are strong enough to give you a run for your money. Legendaries actually get to retire here, so they're not exactly the timeless beings I know."

Aria paused, biting her lip. "Back home, it took years for people to feel safe around me, even before I got wrapped up with the Omens. Now... I don't even bother trying. No one knows, and keeping secrets like that just makes me feel like even more of an outsider than before. And the legendaries are nice, they really are, but they don't think the same way we do. Immortality tends to do that. In the end, the only time I get to feel remotely normal is when I'm with Mike, and... I'm fine with that. But I wouldn't wish it upon anyone else."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"So yer only peers are immortals who ain't much fer socialisin', an' everyone else is scared shitless or kept at a distance," summarised Brisa, her ears dropping back a little in sympathy. "Mike's yer human partner, right? I'm glad y'have someone, at least."

Brisa offered Aria a fatigued grin. "Well, you're welcome t'visit me any time, darlin'," she joked. "At least I won't fear ya."

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

Aria responded with a chuckle, which trailed off into a strained smile. "It's a nice thought, but... you think that's gonna hold up once you go back?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa laughed at Aria and dismissed the notion with a wave of her paw. "Jokin' aside, if I did meetcha in my world, I think I'd be thrilled t'meet someone with remotely the same experience an' demeanour as myself, whatever the power discrepancy. Besides, gimme enough time, and I'm sure I'll catch up t'ya in strength."

That last part might not be true, but who knew? Certainly not Aria.

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

…Well, Brisa seemed confident enough. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to entertain the idea for once.

"And forget what an adrenaline rush feels like? I'm not sure if you'd like that, Miss Colosseum Guru," Aria said, a light smirk playing at her lips. "But… I suppose I could try tracking your world down sometime. And if that doesn't work out, there's never a shortage of worlds like Cibus out there. Perhaps we'll run into each other the next time a bunch of misfits get called into action."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa's ears perked. "You're serious? Didn't realise you could just . . . look fer worlds besides yers an' Mike's. You in favour with yer Voice or somethin'?"

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

Aria shrugged lazily. "And a couple others, sure. It's not as easy as I'm making it out to be, but it's possible."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa froze up for a second as her heart jumped in her chest. "Y'better not be jokin', partner. 'Cause if not, I'm countin' on seein' you again someday."

A million other thoughts raced through her mind, not least of which was learning this same power for herself and using it. To get away, to see her friends again, to feel free, to do this again, save worlds, have a purpose that felt good.

"Yer means of travellin'... Is it somethin' anyone could figure out?" she asked, hesitantly.

 

[ExplosiveTurkey]

And with that, Aria's expression fell again, before she shook her head. "...I won't lie to you. A bunch of things had to fall into place to make it possible for me, and all of them were out of my control. Even with all the power I can borrow, some of them still are. Sorry."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa nodded, having expected as much. "Don't look so glum, partner. I'm keepin' my chin up. So can you."

She smiled at her companion with an expression of put-on resolve. "I'm lucky, see? Not everyone gets the chances I have. I'm done feelin' sorry fer myself. And... Whether anythin' comes of our friendship once we part ways, I'm grateful fer the hope you've given me. Truly."