Destiny Village ~ Central Crossroads

[IFBench]

"Neighbors? Do...do you mean Dill can be sent to a neighboring world?" Saltriv asked.

"And...if Dill is already dead...doesn't that mean that whatever his Hero's Aura was for is finished?"

 

[Namohysip]

"It seems to still be there, but sometimes it takes time to fade, that's true," Zygarde remarked.

"Hmmh... Zygarde, you would not go out of your way to point out these things if you weren't finding solutions," Diyem growled. "Get to the point."

"Due to Dill's circumstances," Zygarde said, "it should be possible to move him to Saltriv's nearby world without too many hang-ups. If by chance someone resurrects him in some way, he would be nearby to return... But there is still one problem with the arrangement. I believe Diyem already knows."

Diyem nodded. "Dill will effectively be choosing between Saltriv and that world... and his own. Yes, they are all dormant now, but at some point that can change. Such is the nature of eternity. If Dill is not around when that happens, they may not reunite. Dill would be a completely different person from their perspective; that is the point of ED-type worlds. Minimizing that problem."

 

[Sudmensch]

Dill's eyes widened.

"S-so I can...? What's that mean, will I still be dormant if I go with Saltriv?" he asked hurriedly.

 

[IFBench]

A smile began to form on Saltriv's face. There was a way! But...

"Are you sure you're okay with that?" Saltriv asked, looking towards Dill. "With...maybe never seeing anyone from your world again?"

They truly hoped he'd say yes, but...

 

[Namohysip]

Zygarde looked at Dill, as did Diyem, awaiting that answer.

"Even if you go back, or are resurrected for one reason or another," Diyem said, "there is a risk of being so offset from your friends and family of that world, due to them eventually dying all the same, that you may effectively never have that same bond with them again."

 

[Sudmensch]

Dill hung his head.

"I... ah, Rye, Sinni, Dad..." he pondered. His tail flicked as he sat, thinking long and hard. He glanced around at everyone for a bit before making his decision.

"...do you have an extra bed back home, Sal? Y-you're gonna need one," he said, a crocodile smile growing on his maw.

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv smiled brightly, and they hugged their friend tightly.

They did it! Dill wasn't going to die! And now he'd share a world with him, and be able to see him all the time!

"Yep! We do!" they said their petals releasing a soothing aroma as their tail wagged, and tears of happiness streamed down their face. "I'm so happy for you, Dill!"

 

[Sudmensch]

At this, Dill wrapped his friend in a crushing hug, tears rolling down his face once more.

"I-I'm gonna live! I'm... I'm g-gonna live!" he managed between overjoyed sobs, his tail wagging as well.

 

[Namohysip]

Diyem and Xygarde exchanged similarly stone-like expressions.

"Then I suppose that will be what I do," Diyem said. "I trust you will handle the rest?"

Zygarde nodded. "This should not be difficult. If it will raise morale for the incoming battle against the Blacklight, then I will do what can be done."

 

[IFBench]

After hugging Dill for a small while, Saltriv begins to let go.

"Come on! Let's go tell the others!" they said.

 

[Sudmensch]

"Y-yeah! Right!" Dill nodded.

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv began trotting away towards their house, renewed hope in their eyes.

Dill wasn't going to die again, and they couldn't be happier.

 

[Sudmensch]

Dill tromped after them, glancing over his shoulder as he wiped his still-running tears.

 

[Namohysip]

As they left, Eien gently nuzzled Diyem's shoulder. "You did a good thing today," she said gently as the rest of the crowd dispersed.

"Mmf." Diyem turned away, ignoring the Shadows leaking from his jaw. "...Thank you."

"If there are any problems, I will keep an eye on things," Zygarde said. "Take care, Diyem. We will be watching to observe the Blacklight's progress or halting. Good luck."

"Luck is unnecessary," Diyem said. "Confidence is better. I suspect the team is brimming with it. Not that I can tell."

"I can," Eien said, guiding Diyem back to the house with Toast. "They are ready."

<><><>​

 

[Dragonfree]

At the Holding Cells, Soda was no longer there. Poffin told Dave he'd left a little while ago, was going to get mozzarella sticks. Only one thing that could mean.

He found the Zoroark on the Crossroads with a takeout bag, seemingly heading home. Yeah. Good. He was recovering, wasn't he?

"Hey, Soda!" he called after him. "Got a minute?"

 

[Namohysip]

He had a pretty big bag of leftovers, but it wasn't big enough for Flesh. Maybe he'd special ordered something again.

The way he walked and the position of his shoulders suggested he was in lighter spirits, but not jovial. So, when he glanced back at Dave, looking confused, the smile he gave him was one that was friendly, but tired.

"Got more time than you, I bet," he said. Glancing around, he spotted a spot to sit between two properties and gestured there.

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave followed him, sitting down with a sigh. "Yeah, well, we're not gone just yet. Still got that final battle and all." He glanced at Soda for a reaction. "Planning to eat all that?"

 

[Namohysip]

Soda looked at it, considering his options. Then, with a shrug, he said, "They aren't as good the next day." He set the bag between them and opened it, revealing perhaps an excessive order of mozzarella sticks and a calzone the same size as Soda's head.

"Final battle, huh?" Soda asked, his eyes flashing with a grave darkness. "Yeah. Guess it really is this time. Blacklight's cornered... but you know how a cornered anything fights."

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave grabbed a mozzarella stick, raising an eyebrow at the portion size. That was a whole lot for one person. Had he been planning to just lock himself in his house and eat nothing but this for two days? (Or maybe he was just making more substitutes, and they all wanted some.)

"Yeah. I assume you heard we were talking about bringing a few native Cibusians with us. Pop said he could wrangle it. So, you know, you'd be a candidate, as somebody more familiar than most. If you wanted to help."

 

[Namohysip]

Soda seemed only surprised that someone was asking, not that he'd be capable of it. He pulled apart one of the sticks, eating half. "Y'really want me part of this, huh? Not worried I'll... go rogue and do something stupid if the Blacklight makes some weird offer, or something?" He waved the other half of the stick around like a wand.