Destiny Village ~ Parfait Way

[Cresselia92]

“Goodbye, Sir Bahamut. I hope thou will find the answers thou art seeking.”

And once more, the Ninetales was alone. He drew out one big sigh, grateful that things didn’t go downhill or anything like that. Then, his ears flicked. Could it be…?

“…I shall look for Sir Jirachi some other time, it seems.” He glanced at the various houses and groaned with displeasure, before starting walking away. Priorities had changed.

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[Namohysip]

While Maple was away doing her mission and rendezvous, arranging for another scouting trip into the Isle of Light, Millijoule was at home keeping Potluck entertained. For the time being, the Silvally in question was fast asleep, snuggled up in several of Leg's gifted plush toys. Millijoule, meanwhile, was reading up on several books, perhaps trying to verify the things that Maple had transferred to him on accident during his emergence. It was hard to miss him. Unlike most of the Shades, Millijoule was mostly light, with only flecks of darkness where his false armor was.

 

[Negrek]

There were a lot of fun things to do in Destiny Village, and they were even more fun if you got to go do them without having to drag around someone so terrible they could manage to get angry about ice cream. (Rocky hadn't even taken that long to pick a flavor! There was no reason to get mad about it.)

But being by yourself in Destiny Village was also lonely. You could buy a bunch of candy and go to the Colosseum and feed the ducklett in the park and visit the library and see how fast you could run up the hill to Destiny Tower, but after a while it all seemed boring. Rocky might even have been considering going back to Mudkip, even though he definitely wouldn't be awake yet, but there was someone else he'd been wanting to see, wasn't there? And who knew when he'd get the chance to do it again? Rocky tore off across town, headed for Parfait Way.

Rocky actually knew where Maple lived. It wasn't too far from where Nate had decided he was going to live because he was weird and didn't want to live at the Guild. He'd never gone close to the house, though, and the closer he got, the more big he realized it was. Even the front door was almost twice his height. Rocky stared up at it nervously, tail lashing from anxiety.

Maybe Mini-Joule wasn't here? Maybe he should try again another time. Rocky's eyes kept wandering towards one of the big, big windows on the front of the house. He could peek inside and just see if anyone was there. Mudkip would definitely have looked in the window, but also Rocky knew that Mudkip was weird and actually maybe he shouldn't do that.

He stood on the stoop a moment more, tail and ears twitching. Okay, okay--just a little peek.

A slow and very stealthy peer over the edge of the big, big windowsill easily confirmed that Mini-Joule was home. He was so big! And glowy! Relieved, Rocky hopped back over to the porch and banged with one of the big, big doorknockers as hard as he could. It made a really loud boom noises!

 

[Namohysip]

The door didn't open. Instead, bright semi-liquid ooze poured out from beneath the doorway and coalesced into the head of Millijoule, who had to crane his neck up to look at Rocky. "Hullo," he greeted. "...You're Nate's one, right? Why, I thought you were trapped with him! Were you finally able to outgrow his pull on you?" Millijoule squeezed his head back through the door and opened it properly.

The inside of Maple's home had three main rooms. The entryway was part of what seemed to be a living room, complete with a couch, a Cibus television that was currently quietly droning about some cooking show, and opposite of this room was the kitchen. It looked like it was currently in use, something cooking slowly in a stone stove. The flame inside was gold...

In the back was the bedroom, where Potluck was curled up near the back, snoozing away.

 

[Negrek]

Rocky giggled when Mini-Joule stuck his head under the door. "Yeah! I'm Rocky! We met before one time, but maybe you don't remember because you were a rock." The familiar chattered along cheerfully while Mini-Joule led him inside. "I'm not really stuck with Mudkip, he just thinks that. And he's sleeping now, so he won't notice I'm gone."

Rocky craned his neck around, taking in the grand scale of the house. He'd never been in a normal house in Cibus before, and this one was really fancy! "Your house is so big! I guess you don't have to go into your stone at all," Rocky said. "That's nice. And earlier Maple was saying you fly around in space and fight bad guys. That's really cool! Want to be friends?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Certainly!" Millijoule outstretched his wings in a welcome. "I can always appreciate the more kindhearted of my kin! Though I should comment you mustn't torment your host so much. After all, you should be working together when in battle!"

He drifted back and inspected whatever was cooking in the stove, then pulled away. "The house is meant for very large Pokemon, so it can appear quite oversized with Blade within. Even for Silvally, it's... grandiose." Millijoule nodded sagely. "It's for a reason. Occasionally, Blade likes to stretch herself out."

 

[Negrek]

"I don't torment him!" Rocky tugged at an ear. "He just gets mad about everything. Especially people helping him."

The familiar took another glance around the house, looking up at the vaulted ceilings and the oversized furnishings. "Umm, stretch out? I know she's not really a smeargle, but... what does she even look like if she's not a smeargle? Or does she just like to turn into a really big pokémon? Like, umm. Steelix?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Oho, I don't know what species to call her! Being infused with Light and a Voice of Life herself, her true form is something to behold indeed!" He leaned forward. "If you ask me, she only keeps it hidden so it doesn't frighten the natives. It's a shame it also keeps her from tapping into her full potential." He pulled back, grinning. "Still, I know that Joule loves her no matter the form she takes! It's what's inside that counts."

 

[Negrek]

"Ohhhh," Rocky said, eyes going wide while he thought of all the possibilities of what Maple's true form could be. It seemed like it would have to be something glowy, one way or another. A big dragon! Really big! Even bigger than Joule. Or maybe more like a robot? Robots were also cool. But pokémon didn't really know about them.

"She's not even at her full potential? But she's already so strong!" That would be scary. "But I wouldn't be scared! I know Maple's nice. And you do, too, right? You've been friends forever. Or remember being friends forever. Do you know about the adventures she's been on? What's the coolest planet she ever visited?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Oh, goodness. Simply too many." Millijoule nodded. "We've toppled corrupt gods and saved small and large civilizations so many times. hopping from world to world, evaluating problems, seeing if things were peaceful or not, and occasionally relaxing in worlds that were particularly peaceful... Yes, it was a wonderful life. Risky, of course, but wonderful.

"We've met so many friends along the way. And for Pokemon whose lives had been ruined, or those who are seeking a new and better life, there are times when we would bring them to other worlds to start anew as well. That is how God Squad came to be, actually. This was not always our full team. They come and go as they find new worlds to settle in... I do wonder if any of them will call Cibus their new home, and they would stay behind."

 

[Negrek]

Too many? Rocky had only ever gotten to visit one planet (or two, or three, depending on if you counted the ones he only had someone else's memories of). What would it be like to have more than a couple decades' worth of stories to tell? To have so many stories that you couldn't even choose one?

"Well, if you can't pick a best planet, what about... the toughest fight Maple ever had to face? Or, umm, I guess if you can't decide that, either, what was the last place you visited before Cibus like?" Even if it wasn't the coolest of all the possible things the God Squad had ever done, it still had to be pretty cool, right?

 

[Namohysip]

"Well, I suppose the toughest fight would be this one," Millijoule said simply. "The planet before this one, though? It was nothing particularly special in the grand scheme of things, but it was a world of an earlier era than here. Dark Matter of that world had come early, almost right after the Bittercold, and the Mew and human of that era were barely ready. Infant, the Mew! So when we sensed the darkness rising from that world, we came in, spoke with the Arceus of that world, and carried out his plan early. Was a bit of an awkward escort, bringing along a toddler Piplup for a world-saving event, but in the end it worked out nicely!"

 

[Negrek]

"A baby Mew?" Rocky clasped his hands together. "That sounds so cute! But it's a good thing they had you around to help out. Babies aren't very good at being heroes."

This was the toughest fight they'd seen yet? Rocky's flames glowed brighter. How exciting! "Well, I guess if this is your hardest mission yet, then it's going to be your biggest victory ever once you win." Rocky puffed out his chest. "And when it's over, I'm coming with you! I'm going to join the God Squad!"

 

[Namohysip]

"Oho, you are?" Millijoule said, leaning forward. "You know, I don't think I would mind that. And I also wouldn't mind it if we could have all of you join up! Once we rescue Joule, of course. I may have memories of him, but I don't have his memories. I'm very curious how I'd react to me."

 

[Negrek]

"Yes!" Rocky punched the air, flames flaring and hissing. "I'm gonna be a member of the God Squad! We're gonna go on all the best adventures. And--oh. I wonder what my Radiance power will be? You already have someone who's super fast, hmm. And super scary. Maybe I could just be good at everything?" Rocky was quiet a moment. It was exciting to know that he'd get to join Maple and Joule on their adventures, just as soon as they got done on this planet, but he'd kind of been expecting some kind of test. A quest, or a special task to complete. He thought he'd need to prove himself, and it was almost too bad that he wouldn't have to.

Well, that was okay. He could still show what a good hero he'd be in all the battles they'd have here on Cibus! "Yes! Everybody should join. We'd make a great team! Well, Mudkip wouldn't want to join. But most people! And I'm sure Joule will like you. You're really nice."

 

[Namohysip]

"Well, I imagine Mudkip would be returning to his world when this is all over," Millijoule said. "Hrm, now that I think about it, I wonder if your friends are aware of that. When this is done, you'll be parting ways, after all. They were never meant to be in this world to begin with." Millijoule nodded sagely. "As is tradition for missions like these. Though typically the heroes stay back for a while, I do not think that is the case for these people, who clearly have lives to return to..."

 

[Negrek]

"He is! I think everybody knows they're going back. Or... can go back?" Would everyone have to leave their familiar friends behind? Maybe there was some way they could remain in Cibus if they liked. "Well, Mudkip knows he's going home for sure. He wouldn't have agreed to come otherwise. Which is dumb, because his world's super boring!" Rocky paused, tail thrashing. "What was your world like? The one Joule came from?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Joule... ahhh, I'm afraid I don't have those memories," Millijoule said simply. "It was so long ago. I believe he was simply born from the cosmos for all I know, or perhaps from another Necrozma... They are strange beings, really. Long, long life cycles, and ever since Joule interacted with Blade, I must say, his lifespan must have been lengthened even more..."

 

[Negrek]

(( Welp, I'm sure that's not gonna be relevant. :P ))

That was kind of funny. It meant Joule hadn't even mentioned it to Maple in a long, long time, and why wouldn't he do that? Since they could go everywhere, they could go back and visit whenever they wanted. Maybe wherever he came from was just too boring to be worth caring about. "That's okay. I don't have all the memories I'm supposed to have, either. Mudkip used to be human, and humans live for such a short time, he barely knows anything! I know I'm supposed to know more than I do."

Rocky hummed to himself, eyes wandering over to the oven and its mysterious flame. What would a space-light-dragon even eat? Well, maybe Joule didn't eat anything, but Mini-Joule was a familiar, after all. It could be pretty much anything.

And however much Rocky wanted to stick around for lunch, he knew it wouldn't be very smart. He sighed. "I probably should go find Mudkip again. He won't be asleep forever." The psychic link was starting to feel a little grumpy, so it probably wouldn't be long at all before his host was wondering where he was. "I have to go train! If I'm going to join the God Squad, I need to get even stronger!" Rocky grinned, flames crackling gently. "Thanks for your help. I wish I could visit way more!"

 

[Namohysip]

"Take care!" Millijoule waved two of his wings, then turned back at Potluck, who had curled up around a bundle of plush toys. "Hmm, I do wonder..." He pondered aloud, bringing another wing to his chin. "If Joule comes around, will I need to start behaving differently? Is he my father or my twin? An uncle... hmmm..."

These thoughts occupied Millijoule into the evening.

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