Destiny Village ~ Parfait Way

[Tanuki]

“Wait, he’s a game dev?” Zane lost all sense of shame and immediately fell to excitement. Unfortunately, Puff asked a question before he had a chance to gush. “Uh, dark matter, so, it’s the opposite of matter, and if it comes in contact with normal matter, y’know, what we’re made of, they both explode or something.”

They were somewhat primitive, so it made sense their astrophysics were somewhat lacking. “How did he cram so much power into these things? Does he make the software himself or have a team of developers working for him? You said he was one of three something, are the other two his competition? What games do they make?”

He didn’t know quite why, but three video game publishers made a lot of sense to him. “If this is mobile, what do the consoles look like?” He barely had any idea what spilled out of his mouth, but still failed to contain himself entirely. “What gen are we at? Have they made the jump to 3D yet?”

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales blinked once. He listened some more, and then he blinked twice. His ears flicked, more confusing words into his brain, and he simply tilted his head in dumbfound. What was that Zangoose talking about? Something from his own homeworld?

"Huh, the badges are games...?" He shook his head. "I am afraid thou are mistaken, sir. These here are communication devices, are they not?"

He took out his own badge and stared at it. Sure, he knew how to type a message, but by staring at it he once more was puzzled by all the other functions of that device, far too modern for him to comprehend... yet. He has been noting down observations and tests about that badge, and figured out that existed a function called camera that allowed him to make instant copies of a scene by pointing the lens toward his target. Almost like a painting, but infinitely more accurate and faster.

"They are fantastic artifacts, I can say this much. And this Reshiram folk has invented them, huh?" He nodded. "Major kudos, then. Did the other members of the trio invent similar devices?"

 

[Namohysip]

Puff stared at Zane, but then realized that perhaps he was not going to be a very useful person to get information out off when it came to the team. Some information sources were simply useless. Instead, he turned his attention to Icetales.

"Well, no, they don't," Puff said. "Zekrom is the embodiment of ideals. She's actually the head of the ethics board. If anything Chip does is questionable, she shuts it down pretty much immediately. I heard she might really fry him over this whole Shade thing... And Kyurem's... a bit of a shut-in, ever since that Bittercold Omen."

 

[Tanuki]

Wait, none of this had anything to do with video games. What was Puff on about? Ideals? “Wait, so Kyurem, shut in, does he happen to have a series of bullet hell games he programmed, designed, and made the music for?” Ideals, Zekrom sounded like the rpg type, so not particularly of Zane’s interest. “If I may, has Reshiram considered implementing a global leaderboard for Galladius? It’s high score based, connected to the internet, shouldn’t be too hard for him.”

 

[Namohysip]

Puff stared at Icetales. "Is he always like this?"

 

[Tanuki]

Zane leaned over to whisper, “Puff always this much of a stick in the mud?” He didn’t wait for an answer before straightening up to pretend nothing happened. “Reporter, right? What kinda scoop do I need to give you to meet Sir Reshiram The Great and Truthful?”

 

[Cresselia92]

"Well, no, they don't," Puff said. "Zekrom is the embodiment of ideals. She's actually the head of the ethics board. If anything Chip does is questionable, she shuts it down pretty much immediately. I heard she might really fry him over this whole Shade thing... And Kyurem's... a bit of a shut-in, ever since that Bittercold Omen."

“Oh, Bittercold…”

Icetales paused to reflect on that, thinking about the events back home. The Great Crystal. Kyurem and Glastrier going berserk. The entire country being covered in ice. Father’s unhealthy obsession toward the greatness of freezing magic.

…Did something like that happen in Cibus, too?

“I can imagine. Must have been one terrible chapter of this world’s history, alongside Dark—”

And then, Zane opened once again his mouth to talk about Galladius or whatever. Icetales felt his ears and tails twitching, while snow crystals began to float from his pelt. Just… what was he talking about?

Puff stared at Icetales. "Is he always like this?"

Icetales merely shrugged, not really wanting to answer yes or no. “Our cortège is made of the most colorful individuals. I shall say this much.”

Zane leaned over to whisper, “Puff always this much of a stick in the mud?”

The Vulpix just glanced at his companion…

“Sir, we do not even know h—”

…and of course the Zangoose’s mind went somewhere else entirely. Icetales sighed and looked again at Puff.

“Um, I feel like we have gone off the track here. How about returning to the main issue at paw?” His tails waved hypnotically. “So, Sir Puff. Thou art a reporter, and have mentioned Dark Matter earlier…” His eyes narrowed lightly. “Well, what is that thou desire to know about it?”

 

[Namohysip]

"Everything you'd be willing to share, really," Puff said. "We don't really know the full story about it yet. Aren't you able to talk with him? That's what we heard, or what I've gathered so far. That this... Team Spectrum, you're all minions of a Dark Matter that wants to save a world?" Puff tilted his head, looking curious. "You can see why we'd wonder why. Is he talking to you right now?"

He had outright ignored Zane.

 

[Cresselia92]

"Everything you'd be willing to share, really," Puff said. "We don't really know the full story about it yet. Aren't you able to talk with him? That's what we heard, or what I've gathered so far. That this... Team Spectrum, you're all minions of a Dark Matter that wants to save a world?" Puff tilted his head, looking curious. "You can see why we'd wonder why. Is he talking to you right now?"

Icetales raised a paw and waved it. “Now, now. ‘Minions’ makes this sound like we are underlings working for some obscure entity with a nefarious purpose. I believe a better term to define us would be… hires, perhaps. And yes, our main objective is to save this world from whatever threat is plaguing it. This much is undeniable.”

He wagged his tails, wondering whether he should reach out for Diyem to let him know about those inquiries.

“Well, hmm… we have our way to contact our common patron, yes. Cannot say to have a connection all the time, however.”

 

[Namohysip]

"It's unstable?" Puff asked. "When was the last time any of you have spoken to him...? After all, if you may trust him, and you may be innocent... It's still hard to tell what his true motivations are."

"What, Diyem? Owen says he's pretty cool. Never heard from him before, since it's a telepathy thing, but..." Cal tilted her head back. "I dunno. Vulpix, anything from Diyem?"

 

[Cresselia92]

"It's unstable?" Puff asked. "When was the last time any of you have spoken to him...? After all, if you may trust him, and you may be innocent... It's still hard to tell what his true motivations are."

“Um… I cannot speak for others, but it has been quite some time since I have conferred with our patron. He is a fairly busy individual and I do not wish to bother him with balderdash.” Icetales shrugged. “And yes, that concern is understandable. But I assure thee that everything he is doing is in good faith. From what I have gathered, he wishes to atone for… some event that happened in the past, but I am afraid I do not know the entire picture.”

"What, Diyem? Owen says he's pretty cool. Never heard from him before, since it's a telepathy thing, but..." Cal tilted her head back. "I dunno. Vulpix, anything from Diyem?"

Icetales glanced at Cal, then again at Puff. “Well, if thou are really so curious, give me a minute to see if I can reach out for him.”

The Vulpix narrowed his eyes and retreated back into his mind, trying to feel the faint connection between himself and Diyem.

‘Sir Diyem, can thou hear me? There are a few folks inquiring a few things about thy persona. Namely… what is thy main objective? Why dost thou desire to save this world? Is it because thou want to atone for something, or it goes deeper than that?’

 

[IFBench]

"Yeah, I suppose," Saltriv said, before perking right back up. "Everyone else is really cool, though!"

 

[Namohysip]

They waited, and Puff crossed his arms and tilted his head. Yes, something seemed to be going on. Conversing with their patron by telepathy?

"Well?" Puff asked.

...Nothing. Icetales did not get even a hint of a presence back; it was like Diyem was not even there anymore.

--

"I see," Maple replied, frowning. "These familiars... They came from Joule, did they not...? Are they... part of Joule, then..."

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv tilted their head. "Who's Joule?"

 

[Cresselia92]

There were countless noises reaching Icetales’s brain: the happy chatters of the folks attending the festival, the faint swoosh of the wind, the crackle of boiling oil and frying food, the thumps of Petram’s incessant rolling… but no trace of Diyem.

The Vulpix’s eyes widened. “What…?” He took a few glances toward the sky, his ears flicking in an unconscious attempt of trying to pick any noise or voice.

…But there was nothing.

They waited, and Puff crossed his arms and tilted his head. Yes, something seemed to be going on. Conversing with their patron by telepathy?

"Well?" Puff asked.

Icetales stared at Puff, his ears still flicking and his tails quivering.

“Um, I…” He took a deep breath. “I… cannot establish a connection with Diyem. This is,” his ears flattened, “something that had never happened before…”

He attempted to reach out for Diyem once more, but the effort proved fruitless.

“Oh golly!” He turned to Zane. “Sir, art thee having the same issue? I cannot confer with our common patron.”

Without waiting for a response, he pulled out his badge and typed a message to the rest of the team. Were they having the same trouble? He hoped it was just his brain that had bad reception — whatever that meant.

 

[Namohysip]

"Joule is... someone who was very close to me. A Necrozma. But recently, I found that he had been corrupted by the force that we are fighting..." Joule looked down. "He was creating Shades, too. The very same ones that everyone seems to have with them..."

 

[IFBench]

"A...Necrozma? I never heard of that Pokemon before...wait, corrupted?!"

 

[Namohysip]

Maple nodded gravely, holding her bag a little tighter.

"He was our leader," Potluck explained. The Silvally looked down. "I hope we can save him... but he was so strong..."

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv laid a vine on Maple and Potluck each in an attempt to comfort them.

"We'll rescue him!" They confidently exclaimed. "Just you wait!"

 

[Jedi Shulk]

“So let me get this straight.” “Your leader Joule was corrupted and now we need to rescue Joule?” Fay asked Potluck.