Destiny Village ~ Central Crossroads

[Namohysip]

"They are doing well," Arceus replied. "I do not think they are involved at all with this incident."

"You don't have any omnipresence to detect where that Charizard may have gone?"

Arceus shook his head. "The Blacklight distorts my vision. I cannot tell."

Cal whispered to Wishkeeper, "Geez, he isn't even bothering with the hip speak. This must be serious..."

 

[Virgil134]

Cabot crossed his arms in thought. Did they really have no idea who it could be? It being Diyem or Sword would have made the most sense, but it clearly wasn't either one of them. Not to mention that Charizard weren't that uncommon, so it easily could have been some stranger or someone else they've never heard of...

Wait, unless...

"Actually, hold on. Sword used to be a Charizard, right? But as Darkwhite she's a Mew... yet also a Shade. I've been wondering whether Darkwhite is actually the real Sword or not, but what if she really isn't? What if the Charizard we just saw was the real Sword, and Darkwhite's merely the shade connected to her?"

 

[Namohysip]

Sword used to be a Charizard, right? But as Darkwhite she's a Mew... yet also a Shade. I've been wondering whether Darkwhite is actually the real Sword or not, but what if she really isn't?

"No," Shield said immediately, squeezing his paw firmly. "She's... There are a lot of things that I've been wrong about. But not that. Not Sword. I know that's her."

"How can you be so sure?" Wishkeeper asked.

Shield gently brought a paw to his aura sensor. "I know what Sword feels like. And... this scarf. It's... it's a feeling. It's something that I know isn't wrong. That's actually Sword. How she became... an Ultra Shade, I don't know, but it's her."

Wishkeeper seemed skeptical, but then looked to Maple, who was considering Shield intensely. Then, after what might have been a lot of thought, she said, "I don't doubt him. Between his aura sense, his familiarity, and the Harmony Scarf... it's much more likely that is really Sword, and not a copy."

"That could explain why she does not appear to be a normal familiar," Wishkeeper said. "Perhaps the source of power was different. All of ours came from Necrozma pieces. Darkwhite... came from Sword herself. As if she had been reincarnated..."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"I'm wrackin' my brain fer another charizard who coulda done this, and been so powerful, but I don't know of one. I'll try askin' about."

Brisa remembered 'Darkwhite', who she'd begun to call Sword. She remembered the way Sword's body had split open at the back and produced Eternatus tendrils at Giovanni's bidding. Her tail-tip looped in circles and tapped out patterns on the ground.

"And I don't... I'm not sure how Sword came to be the way she is. But I think it has somethin' to do with Eternatus. And we're gonna find out."

But that could wait. The most pressing matter for her right now was that her friend was okay, after she'd seen so much terror in his face. Brisa turned back to the charmeleon, balancing concern for him and worry about their increasingly complicated situation in her heart.

"Owen, are you doin' alright? Wanna get outta here, go somewhere less crowded or somethin'?"

 

[Namohysip]

Wishkeeper nodded. "I want to take a walk around. Enjoy... my freedom. I feel as if for a time, there was a risk that I would not have been allowed to wander the streets on my own." He looked onward. "I also want to find a few people who aren't here to make sure they're okay. Bahamut, for one..."

"Hmm." Maple nodded. "Then be careful, Owen. You're clearly someone that at least one enemy of ours is trying to disrupt."

Wishkeeper nodded.

"There does seem to be an odd distaste for Charizard," S'more remarked idly. "Darkwhite, if her origins are what we believe, was one. The targeting of Owen. And apparently Silver has unpleasant feelings when thinking of one, too."

"It is strange," Wishkeeper agreed. "Something to think about... But for now, I'm... tired. Yet I can't sleep. I'm going to find Bahamut for some meditating." He looked to Brisa, smiling a little. "Perhaps later, when I have more energy, we can get a fight or two in."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Huh, that's something this place actually has in common with Etherium. How about that?" Esper giggled into his hand. "Except there, it was Baha Blast getting annoyed at charizard picking fights with his friends. He'll never admit it, but I think he's secretly happy Eternatus wiped out their dragon-typing and made 'em fire and flying."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Perhaps later, when I have more energy, we can get a fight or two in."

Brisa nodded. "I'll look forward to it. Take care, partner."

...now what?

It felt like she had twenty priorities, and no idea how to organise them. She looked to those around her. Kate, who needed someone to help her find her place in the posse. Starr, who she desperately wanted to battle at long last. Vix, who'd pulled the situation out of the fire with her quick thinking, and about whom Brisa knew next to nothing. Then there was everything else to investigate, both outstanding from their existing troubles, and newly risen from the night's events... She needed to be in a dozen places at once!

Well, she'd just have to push herself harder than ever. That was all she could do.

If you don't, then Astrid will.

Astrid.

"I'm gonna take a walk," muttered Brisa. "See y'all later, text me if'n y'need me."

She loped off, aimlessly. Full of concern, Chikorita Saltriv followed.

<><><><><>​

 

[Adamhuarts]

After spendingsseveral days asleep in a room, being outside and feeling the air brushing against his skin was refreshing. It did very little to give him peace of mind, but it was better than nothing. He would have to go back to the dorms later and clean up the pile of leaves he shed around his pot. The thought of doing it had eluded him earlier, and he wouldn't want Icetales to have to deal with his mess. Literally.

Cynthian walked past various pokemon who were going about living their day to day lives. The few that recognized him as part of Team Spectrum either stared for a bit or greeted him briefly when he approached, though he largely went unnoticed by most.

There was no particular destination in his mind, nor could he find a reason to his aimless wandering. Cynthian just wanted to walk, and keep walking. It felt like the ground might engulf him if he stopped, so he did not.

So caught up in that trance he was that he didn't notice the black cat that happened to be nearby, and surely would've noticed him.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr did a double-take as she walked past. Okay, this city had a lot of people, but she was pretty sure she'd only ever seen one Roselia with black and white roses...

"Cynthian? That you?" He turned to face her, and yep, definitely him. "Oh hey, hadn't seen you in a while--heard from a few of the others that you'd been hibernating or something?" It had been a bit surprising to learn, but she couldn't pretend to be an expert on grass-types.

 

[Adamhuarts]

Hearing a familiar face call his name broke Cynthian out of his trance. He turned around and glanced at her with confusion at first. Though he'd not known any torracats before, he remembered a litten, and that Icetales had evolved. After that, he put two and two together to figure out who he was looking at.

"Oh, Starr. Hi." Cynthian tried his best at a smile, but he could only manage a faint one. His voice sounded tired, and lacking in much enthusiasm.

"Yes, I was hibernating during the winter... though it's still winter now as I'd come to learn after looking at a calendar earlier. Oh well as they say, early to bed early to rise." It wasn't a funny joke. At the very least it didn't make him laugh. "How have things been with you all this while? Icetales gave me a brief rundown of most of what you'd all been up to, but I'm still a bit confused about most of the finer details."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr raised an eyebrow as the deadpan joke, but didn't comment. Seemed like he'd woken up worse off than when he'd left. But if he wanted to know what had happened while he was gone, that was a better topic anyway.

"I dunno what Icetales already told you, but yeah, it's a bunch of bullshit." She knew how long-winded the fox could get, so Cynthian had most likely already heard the main overview of what the team had been dealing with. Which just left... the things he would have been less focused on. "Honestly, it all comes back to one guy from a human world a hell of a lot like mine who's stringing us around and playing us for fools all this time," Starr muttered. "We haven't beaten him once, so... consider yourself lucky you haven't had to deal with him yet."

 

[Adamhuarts]

"A human?" Cynthian tilted his head slightly and blinked.

"You mean the Mewtwo that showed up after we faced those fused space-time emissaries?" Cynthian asked, nodding slightly as he recalled more to his mind. How strange. Their main adversary was a human? Weren't humans typically sent to worlds to save them? That was often the trend.

"I'm surprised the rest of you haven't caught him yet. He must be quite a slippery human indeed. Though it's a good thing he's from a world like yours anyway, because that makes you our best bet about knowing what he might be up to. Even a small hint would be helpful," Cynthian said with a largely expressionless face, and then he showed no further interest in the topic.

"Oh, I never got to say it back during the fight, but congratulations on evolving by the way. You look positively fiercer now, likely stronger too, I'm guessing?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Yeah, that's him. Would've been bad enough if it was just him, but no, he had to get turned into one of the strongest Pokemon in the world," Starr said, her words dripping with spite. But then her expression relaxed slightly, and she went on, "You know, Brisa said pretty much the same thing about me being the best chance to take him down. Can't do much else other than try to believe it, I guess."

"Oh, I never got to say it back during the fight, but congratulations on evolving by the way. You look positively fiercer now, likely stronger too, I'm guessing?"

The faintest trace of a grin crossed her face. "Thanks. It feels good, yeah."

Still, she hadn't been able to touch Giovanni. She'd hardly put a scratch on Shield. And now...

"Haven't done too good at the past few fights, though," Starr said in a low voice. "We're leaving on a rescue mission in a few days, to the boss's hideout. I need to be ready."

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Haven't done too good at the past few fights, though," Starr said in a low voice. "We're leaving on a rescue mission in a few days, to the boss's hideout. I need to be ready."

"Rescue mission? Does that mean you already know where Darkwhite has been taken? Or Diyem, I guess. Though I'm still debating whether he was taken captive too, or if he just left us to fend for ourselves. Probably the former, but as you know by now, I don't hold the most optimism towards Dark Matters..."

Cynthian exhaled an apathetic sigh and continued to speak. "Whatever the case, I'll try to stay out of everyone's way before preparations are done. Once it's all been decided, just let me know then and I'll participate to the best of my ability.

"And don't sweat about not doing too good, Starr. You're all amazing pokemon, amazing humans in your case and a few others I suppose. Next time you encounter this Giovanni person, make sure to nab him," Cynthian said, swinging his rose sideways. It didn't occur to him as he spoke, but he'd excluded himself from everything he'd said.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Yeah, uh, I guess we're not sure which of them we'll find at the hideout. If any. But it's our main lead, so we don't have much choice." It was probably a trap. But what the hell else were they supposed to do? God, she was finally starting to understand what Ajia went through back home, and she hated it.

"As for Diyem, well, he was pretty spooked by something a few days ago. Heard about it when a new recruit crash landed here. I know you've got issues with him from your world, and I'm not gonna judge you for that, but..." Starr glanced away, doing her best to look indifferent. "He's in trouble. So we're gonna do whatever it takes to get him back." They needed Diyem. Without him in Veritas, there was no guarantee that they'd come back if they were killed. He was useful, so they had to save him. Simple.

"And don't sweat about not doing too good, Starr. You're all amazing pokemon, amazing humans in your case and a few others I suppose. Next time you encounter this Giovanni person, make sure to nab him," Cynthian said, swinging his rose sideways. It didn't occur to him as he spoke, but he'd excluded himself from everything he'd said.

Starr raised an eyebrow. "Not that I'm gonna complain about glowing praise, but you realize you've busted your ass for this team too, right?"

 

[Adamhuarts]

Starr raised an eyebrow. "Not that I'm gonna complain about glowing praise, but you realize you've busted your ass for this team too, right?"

Cynthian quirked an eyebrow like he'd heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. All he'd ever done since he came to Cibus was scurry about trying not to be stepped on and only riding on the accomplishments of his peers.

"Well, I'm a bit flattered that you think that Starr, but..." Cynthian took a pause to figure out how to even finish that sentence. After feeling like he'd found the right words, he spoke, "My efforts are trivial to speak of at best. You shouldn't elevate me any further. I'm not like you guys. After all..."

I should have been the one to die back then, Cynthian almost added, but he stopped himself and paused to breathe. No, he wasn't going to tell her. That was his pit to sink into, and he refused to drag anyone else down with him.

"Either way, I hope Darkwhite and Diyem are brought back to safety when the fighting is done. That's all that matters for now, right?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Well, I'm a bit flattered that you think that Starr, but..." Cynthian took a pause to figure out how to even finish that sentence. After feeling like he'd found the right words, he spoke, "My efforts are trivial to speak of at best. You shouldn't elevate me any further. I'm not like you guys. After all..."

Starr glanced away with a sour taste in her mouth. She scratched the back of her head with a paw and said, "Look, if this is about the things I said back before the first mission... it was just bullshit, alright? You're better than that."

 

[Adamhuarts]

Cynthian widened his eyes for a moment. It genuinely surprised him that she still even remembered that. Thinking back on it, he didn't even know why her words stung at all when they did. What she said had been true, and he should have accepted back then for what they were.

"Oh, no, it's not about that. It's about something else, and trust me it's not worth talking about," Cynthian said with a somber, faint smile. Talking about it wouldn't change what had happened in the past. Besides, it was a tiresome, boring and uninteresting story.

"By the way, where are the others? I left the dorms earlier, but you're the first I've bumped into. Aside from Icetales anyway," Cynthian said, clearly trying to change the subject.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr squinted at him slightly. Right, so, trying to change the subject then. "Eh, they're around. It's a big city, so, lotta different places to go. I know a few of them are at the beach right now, there's some that spend all their time at the library, you might find 'em there. Oh, and I guess there's probably a few people checking out Destiny Tower. What with it being attacked and all." She didn't actually know if he knew, but whatever. He'd hear about it eventually.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"I see. It is good then that everyone is active and occupied then," Cynthian stared at blank space while he said that, and he was starting to feel like the ground would swallow him whole again. It was nauseating.

"I should get going then... find somewhere to be... until I'm needed," Cynthian said with a huff.