Destiny Village ~ Chip's Lab

[Namohysip]

Just as Starr was going to exit, however, the door opened seconds before she could. On the other end of the door was Reshiram in the flesh.

"Oh, hello," he replied with a nod. "Starr, Lexx. Checking on things here?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr turned and blinked up the huge white dragon entering the lab behind her. Months of living in Destiny Village and she still wasn't used to running into giant Legendaries going about their daily errands or whatever.

Lexx, of course, saw Reshiram all the time and waved cheerfully. "Oh hey. We were just heading out, but we're not in a rush or anything," he said, ignoring Starr's disapproving look. "Working on anything interesting today?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Well, since you asked... I've been working on the Soda tracker! I went on a walk to do some thinking, you know how it goes, new scenery, new thought processes, it's a very mortal thing, actually. Translates to Legends as well. I considered meditation as well, but have been too... restless as of late. Sometimes I feel like I could fly around the world to get rid of that restless energy, ahh, but that would be irresponsible, wouldn't it?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Well, he sure seemed cheerful. Starr had been expecting more of a stuffy attitude from a legend running a science lab.

"Change in scenery's always good," Lexx said, nodding. "And hey, I bet a few members of the team will be pretty relieved once that tracker's done." He paused, inclining his head toward Starr. "You should say hi."

Starr let out a small snort but then raised a hand as a greeting. "Yeah, hi. I'm just here for him, none of this stuff's really my thing." She was fine with just leaving it at that--she really did need to be going--but then she found herself continuing anyway. "I don't know if you've heard from Zekrom, but my partner Brisa's been really looking foward to facing you in the Colosseum."

 

[Namohysip]

"Oh, that's right, that's right." Reshiram nodded. "Yes, Zekrom paid a visit or two after her battle against you. Very good job, by the way. The way you battle was directly an answer to the way she does. Hm. Hm." Reshiram hummed to himself. "I doubt that you would have quite an easy time against me, however." His blue eyes glinted a little.

 

[Chibi Pika]

The edges of Starr's mouth curled up, just a bit. "Yeah? Well, that'd be saying something, seeing as Zekrom was already hard as hell. Guess we've got that to look forward to." It was pretty wild to imagine the head of science being ready to throw down on the battlefield, but seeing that bit of fire in his eyes just now, it wasn't so hard to believe.

"Brisa was pretty hype about that fight, too--kind of like she had something to prove, I guess? I don't really know what Zekrom was looking for, with all that talk about ideals and such, but she seemed happy by the end of it." Starr shrugged.

 

[Namohysip]

"Zekrom and I... can differ at times, but in the end, we have learned to find common ground. She sees the future of ideals; I see the truth of the present. There is not necessarily a reason that one cannot build toward the other. On the battlefield, of course... Zekrom is focused on her best self. I'm sure you may have realized--or perhaps, Owen told you--that it is difficult to disrupt her fighting style. I, on the other hand, as a hint... I do not think you will have an easy time building up your defenses against me. Ahem, you could say I see the truth behind your boons."

"Geez, how humble of you," Chip quipped.

"Well! I wouldn't be Legendary without some power," Reshiram replied as his fur puffed out, though he tried to look dignified.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Owen had already mentioned something like that, so Reshiram's posturing didn't quite have the impact as it would've if Starr was learning this for the first time. Still, it was hard to deny that an ability like that would make it pretty damn hard to endure his attacks.

"Never really heard much about the Reshiram and Zekrom from my world," Starr said offhandedly. "Their story wasn't a big thing in my country--it happened on the other side of the world, ages ago."

With a lot of the other legends, it was pretty easy to see how their deal worked. Guardians of fire, storms, land, sea, whatever--it was straightforward. But... truth and ideals were just... weird and vague.

Starr leaned back against the wall, flicking her tail. "So like... 'seeing the truth of the present'... what does that actually mean? Not in battle, just in general. What, is it just like, being able to see through lies or something?" That didn't exactly seem like the sort of thing that needed a Legendary to keep the world in balance or whatever.

 

[Namohysip]

Reshiram nodded. "It is true, my role in the world is abstract and not well-defined. In truth, it is more of a figurehead role; my true role in this world is to act as one of Arceus' enforcers, should something truly terrible happen. For example, should your presences in this world have been something of evil... that we could combat, to our greatest ability... I would have been called upon to face you, along with my sisters, alongside Arceus."

His tail engine whirred softly. "Should I need to, I am able to see the truth in all things that are near me. Disguises, illusions, even hidden desires and intents are known to me completely and without fail. Zekrom, meanwhile, has a power that is something... related to Kyurem. Zekrom can see the best futures within those she sees... and Kyurem can see the worst. Typically, neither happen... but they are what they can work toward, and avoid."

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Huh. Guess that'd be pretty handy for figuring out what's actually a threat or not." Starr smirked a bit. "Sounds like they should've just brought you in if they wanted to know so bad if we were actually evil. Would've spared a whole lot of instances of people randomly attacking Team Spectrum for being minions of Dark Matter or whatever." She scratched at her cheek fur. "Although... I guess the whole blacklight thing would've gotten in the way, wouldn't it."

 

[Namohysip]

Reshiram nodded. "Seeing things with my power, and seeing into the future--particularly when outside forces are involved... can muddle things. It was certainly the first thing we tried, but ultimately we couldn't tell." Reshiram nodded sagely. "Still, it's good to know that you've been allies. I fear what would have happened, should you have been enemies. Feared for you all, of course."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr let out a small chuckle. "Guess I can't argue that we wouldn't have gotten our asses handed to us back then." Maybe that 'truth' of his would've just made things worse if it'd worked anyway. She didn't really... want anyone being able to just see the 'truth' about her. To judge her based on that.

Maybe Zekrom seeing the team's best selves would've helped. But then, that third one, seeing their worst paths... yeah, that sounded fucked up, she didn't want to think about dealing with that.

"So like... have you ever had to actually step in and shut down any big threats? All the omen stuff had to get stopped by humans, right?"

 

[Namohysip]

"The omens... are from an entity that was built into the very threads of Cibus. Since we were a part of those very threads in one way or another, we were particularly vulnerable. An outsider's help was needed, and humans tend to be very strongly associated with changing Pokemon for the better... or worse. But the Voice of Life's job is to find one that works." Reshiram nodded. "Still, mundane catastrophes are certainly something we can do. In fact, we're planning on that right now. Arceus is rallying everyone. While you fight the Blacklight plague, we shall support you from the surface."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr folded her arms behind her head. "Well, that's one thing our worlds have in common at least." She could help feeling a bit of smug satisfaction that the so-called Legendaries always seemed to get bailed out by humans.

This was the first time she'd really had to think about how this mission had the biggest cost for failure out of all of them. None of the others had the entirety of Cibus on the line. (Starr decided she was not going to think too hard about that.)

"I guess it's good to know that while we're up punching that asshole on the moon, you guys can hold the fort down here. Really hard to fight when a stray blast could wipe a city off the map." She forced a grin that looked more confident than she felt.

 

[Namohysip]

"This is going to be the most pivotal battle. For Cibus, for you... and of course, for Soda." Reshiram's eyes hardened, a pensive stare at nowhere in particular. "This Blacklight creature, whatever its true form is, changed Soda into something terrible. The least we can do for him is free him of its clutches, even if that means killing him. You've pulled off miracles before, but... Even I cannot tell if he is too far gone."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Even the guy literally made of truth didn't know if Soda was too far off the deep end to fix. Even if that wasn't really surprising, it sure didn't make their job sound any easier.

But this was Cibus. How many times now had they managed to beat the shit out of a problem and wind up making things better for everyone involved? Enough times that it should've been easy to believe they'd be able to pull it off now. And yet...

"I know half the team's all freaking out over about what's the 'right' thing to do, but I'm not gonna pretend like I know what that is," Starr said flatly. "I don't even think we can know that until we get there."

 

[Namohysip]

"If you want any advice," Reshiram said gently, "...My personal preference is that you do what you always do. Don't try to change your strategies too much; you've saved so much. But... perhaps some caution would be warranted... but I suspect all of your friends are doing the same. Together, if you can find a moment when he's vulnerable... do what must be done."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr nodded distantly, mulling his words over. She'd already been planning to treat this just like any other mission. Sure would've been nice if she could just forget all the reasons why it wasn't.

Starr absentmindedly glanced at her badge and realized she'd stayed here way the hell longer than she planned to. "Thanks for the chat and all, but we really need to get going. I guess the next time we meet, it'll be in the colosseum. Hope you're planning to go all-out," she added with a bit of a smirk.

 

[Namohysip]

"And I can only hope for the same," Reshiram replied with a glint in his eyes, nodding his farewell.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr gave a small wave and turned to walk out of the lab, followed soon after by Lexx.

"You know, I was ready to go, like, a good ten minutes ago," Lexx pointed out. "Guess you weren't in that big a hurry."

"Oh, shut up," Starr replied, giving him a shove.

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