Destiny Village ~ Parfait Way
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"Heh... Yeah. It's all I can do, after all!" It was contagious, and Owen was smiling again. "...I'm... hungry. Let's have that picnic, huh?"
Perhaps they were right, and it was easy to see in the way he smiled. For a very brief moment, despite all that heaviness from before, Owen looked like the one they knew.
Perhaps they were right, and it was easy to see in the way he smiled. For a very brief moment, despite all that heaviness from before, Owen looked like the one they knew.
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[EPILOGUE] Hidden Truths (Mergo, Nate, and Rocky)
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Through the morning chill Mergo ran, his body shifted to a more athletic and comfortable form. Now a Gallade, his footsteps clicked against the cobblestone as he took another lap. His eyes remained focused, and his breathing regulated. That was the point of it now: to see how long he could keep his composure. Discipline. The fact that his fighter's instincts were sated by it was merely a bonus.
Getting a jog in alone wasn't an easy task. It required waking up early, stealth, deception, teleporting, and if that didn't work, an attack or two to show he was serious. The quiet and meditation was a requirement. And besides, damage here meant almost nothing.
Quietly as he went, he hummed a marching tune to himself to keep his cadence, then grew quieter still as he passed by houses he recognized. They were the ones he'd lived in, which meant it was likely theirs now. Someone already sensed him, more than likely. Owen definitely had. Hm.
Maybe it wasn't was too late.
Getting a jog in alone wasn't an easy task. It required waking up early, stealth, deception, teleporting, and if that didn't work, an attack or two to show he was serious. The quiet and meditation was a requirement. And besides, damage here meant almost nothing.
Quietly as he went, he hummed a marching tune to himself to keep his cadence, then grew quieter still as he passed by houses he recognized. They were the ones he'd lived in, which meant it was likely theirs now. Someone already sensed him, more than likely. Owen definitely had. Hm.
Maybe it wasn't was too late.
It should be illegal to be conscious this early. Nate's head felt full of sand, his eyes gritty, his limbs each a hundred pounds. Any merciful god would have let him sleep at least another half hour.
Rocky was not merciful, and he was also extremely insistent that they make it to the beach in time to watch Meringue's usual training session with Lugia. "When are you ever going to get to see a real lugia in action again?" he'd asked. "And the storm's so cool with all the clouds coming out of nowhere, and the lightning, and whoooosh! Don't you want to see it?" No, Nate had made very clear, he did not. "Well, I want to!" Somehow, with all the wheedling, getting up and going along with Rocky's stupid plan had been the less annoying option.
The streets were quiet this time of morning, naturally, because even here on Cibus people weren't that insane. Nate glanced dully at the gallade who went jogging past, thoughts a vague miasma of disdain for fitness, but then blinked, abruptly feeling more alert. Hang on. That scarf--he thought he knew--
"Hey!" Nate called. He actually took a couple steps out ahead of Rocky, waving at the gallade's retreating form. "Hey, you! You're that gardevoir, right? With the Miracle Matters?" Shit, what was his name? "Mergo?"
Rocky was not merciful, and he was also extremely insistent that they make it to the beach in time to watch Meringue's usual training session with Lugia. "When are you ever going to get to see a real lugia in action again?" he'd asked. "And the storm's so cool with all the clouds coming out of nowhere, and the lightning, and whoooosh! Don't you want to see it?" No, Nate had made very clear, he did not. "Well, I want to!" Somehow, with all the wheedling, getting up and going along with Rocky's stupid plan had been the less annoying option.
The streets were quiet this time of morning, naturally, because even here on Cibus people weren't that insane. Nate glanced dully at the gallade who went jogging past, thoughts a vague miasma of disdain for fitness, but then blinked, abruptly feeling more alert. Hang on. That scarf--he thought he knew--
"Hey!" Nate called. He actually took a couple steps out ahead of Rocky, waving at the gallade's retreating form. "Hey, you! You're that gardevoir, right? With the Miracle Matters?" Shit, what was his name? "Mergo?"
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It was too late.
Mergo considered teleporting away. There wasn't any point in gathering information or toying with people anymore. And it would disrupt his exercise. And as far as he'd seen, he'd exhausted everything he cared to from Nate. Or he could have just kept running. It's not like him giving someone a cold shoulder would have been a cause for concern, would it?
But then again, Nate seemed to have some of Dave's qualities. Maybe he didn't give a fuck either, but he could've had some things to grumble about in regards to the match. Better Mergo than someone frailer. He'd take this one just in case.
His hands came together, and Mergo disappeared in a flash of soft gold light. And in that very next instant Mergo reappeared only a few paces behind Nate, coming to an abrupt and quiet stop.
"That would be me," he answered. "I got a hair cut. And a mohawk. And some dye."
Mergo considered teleporting away. There wasn't any point in gathering information or toying with people anymore. And it would disrupt his exercise. And as far as he'd seen, he'd exhausted everything he cared to from Nate. Or he could have just kept running. It's not like him giving someone a cold shoulder would have been a cause for concern, would it?
But then again, Nate seemed to have some of Dave's qualities. Maybe he didn't give a fuck either, but he could've had some things to grumble about in regards to the match. Better Mergo than someone frailer. He'd take this one just in case.
His hands came together, and Mergo disappeared in a flash of soft gold light. And in that very next instant Mergo reappeared only a few paces behind Nate, coming to an abrupt and quiet stop.
"That would be me," he answered. "I got a hair cut. And a mohawk. And some dye."
"Yeah?" Nate said. "The blades come free with that, or do you gotta pay extra?"
"Ugh," Rocky said, giving Mergo a hostile look. "You aren't really going to talk to him, are you?"
"Reckon I am," the marshtomp said. "You go on ahead. I'll catch up."
"Catch up?! When do you ever catch up?" The familiar folded his arms across his chest, flattening his ears back. "You just want to get rid of me, don't you?"
"I know you want to go see your thing," Nate said. He briefly reached up to touch the side of Rocky's leg. "So go see your thing. I'll be there soon."
Rocky stared down at him for a moment, arms still crossed, then reached up to slide his bag off. He passed it down to Nate, shot a quick unfriendly glance at Mergo, then took off down the street again, flames streaming out behind him.
The bag's strap was much too long, so the body of it actually rested on the ground beside Nate. He draped an arm over it and squinted up at Mergo. "No, but really. What the fuck happened to you? At least in my world gardevoir can't go changing around. That some kind of Blacklight thing?"
"Ugh," Rocky said, giving Mergo a hostile look. "You aren't really going to talk to him, are you?"
"Reckon I am," the marshtomp said. "You go on ahead. I'll catch up."
"Catch up?! When do you ever catch up?" The familiar folded his arms across his chest, flattening his ears back. "You just want to get rid of me, don't you?"
"I know you want to go see your thing," Nate said. He briefly reached up to touch the side of Rocky's leg. "So go see your thing. I'll be there soon."
Rocky stared down at him for a moment, arms still crossed, then reached up to slide his bag off. He passed it down to Nate, shot a quick unfriendly glance at Mergo, then took off down the street again, flames streaming out behind him.
The bag's strap was much too long, so the body of it actually rested on the ground beside Nate. He draped an arm over it and squinted up at Mergo. "No, but really. What the fuck happened to you? At least in my world gardevoir can't go changing around. That some kind of Blacklight thing?"
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Mergo waved after Rocky, ignoring the hostile look he'd received. He hoped whatever he was planning to see was only this early due to scheduling and not ridiculous lines. Nate didn't seem like the kind of guy you'd want to wait with in line.
"... Blacklight, yes," he answered after a moment's pause. "I'm more comfortable in this form, but that body was a more effective war banner. And it had its other uses as well."
Like helping him dissociate. But that didn't matter.
Mergo flicked his gaze back over to Nate, who was rapidly getting smaller and smaller. He wondered if they had a telepathic bond like some of the other Guardians had. He hummed.
"You know, he has a bit of a point," Mergo admitted. "It seemed like he wanted to spend time with you, but instead you're stopping to talk with the guy who called him set-dressing. After you basically just let me, too. I know I wouldn't be pleased in his position."
"... Blacklight, yes," he answered after a moment's pause. "I'm more comfortable in this form, but that body was a more effective war banner. And it had its other uses as well."
Like helping him dissociate. But that didn't matter.
Mergo flicked his gaze back over to Nate, who was rapidly getting smaller and smaller. He wondered if they had a telepathic bond like some of the other Guardians had. He hummed.
"You know, he has a bit of a point," Mergo admitted. "It seemed like he wanted to spend time with you, but instead you're stopping to talk with the guy who called him set-dressing. After you basically just let me, too. I know I wouldn't be pleased in his position."
Nate smiled tightly. "Well, yeah. I'm an asshole, remember?" He cast a look towards Rocky's retreating form, one hand rubbing at his gills. Rocky needed to get used to not having him around all the time. It was better that he got started now.
Whatever. So this guy could go back and forth from gallade to gardevoir, huh? Didn't seem all that impressive when compared to his teammates all turning into legendaries and shit, but you could probably do some neat tricks with it. Nate wondered why he'd been going around as a gardevoir the whole time instead of keeping it under his hat until the fight, if that was his preferred battle form. "To fuck with people" seemed like a reasonable-enough guess, he supposed.
"Ain't gonna keep you long, anyhow. I was just curious about something. The arcanine mentioned you're a follower of Reshiram. And his ideals and shit. Kinda surprised me because I wouldn't have pinned you as a guy who's all that big on truth." He tilted his head. "How's that work? Is it about, like, knowing how to use truth and not necessarily being truthful? Or, like, the truth's really important, so you don't just go waving it around everywhere? Dunno. Just thought it sounded interesting."
Whatever. So this guy could go back and forth from gallade to gardevoir, huh? Didn't seem all that impressive when compared to his teammates all turning into legendaries and shit, but you could probably do some neat tricks with it. Nate wondered why he'd been going around as a gardevoir the whole time instead of keeping it under his hat until the fight, if that was his preferred battle form. "To fuck with people" seemed like a reasonable-enough guess, he supposed.
"Ain't gonna keep you long, anyhow. I was just curious about something. The arcanine mentioned you're a follower of Reshiram. And his ideals and shit. Kinda surprised me because I wouldn't have pinned you as a guy who's all that big on truth." He tilted his head. "How's that work? Is it about, like, knowing how to use truth and not necessarily being truthful? Or, like, the truth's really important, so you don't just go waving it around everywhere? Dunno. Just thought it sounded interesting."
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
For an instant, Mergo tensed. This again so soon? He was still trying to come to terms with it himself, and someone was already asking him things? Fate had a sense of humor, didn't it? And with a human.
"Well first of all, you opened up your question by asking about Reshiram's ideals," he said. "Clever." And a coinflip's chance it was unintentional.
"For an actual answer though... Hm. It's hard to explain in detail, but your guesses hold the essence of it," he relented. "One of the many absolute truths in the world is that people will lie to you. Following Truth helps you see through those who attempt to use you as a stepping stool for their ambition. Truth... It is a bitter absolute that I endure."
"Well first of all, you opened up your question by asking about Reshiram's ideals," he said. "Clever." And a coinflip's chance it was unintentional.
"For an actual answer though... Hm. It's hard to explain in detail, but your guesses hold the essence of it," he relented. "One of the many absolute truths in the world is that people will lie to you. Following Truth helps you see through those who attempt to use you as a stepping stool for their ambition. Truth... It is a bitter absolute that I endure."
"Heh, yeah. The arcanine said 'ideals' himself, and I wasn't sure if he was making a joke or if the dragons are just fucking flipped in your world or what." Nate listened more closely to the rest of what the gardevoir--gallade?--had to say. "People lie, for sure," he said after a moment. "And you gotta try to see through it to defend yourself, fair enough. But you don't gotta make it easy for other people, huh? The whole 'using people as stepping stones for their ambition' ain't off the table just because you're a seeker of truth yourself, huh?"
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
"Perhaps. If I have no other option and I cannot be transparent with the person I'm working with, I would consider it with my confidants."
More curt of an answer than he'd ever give back in his own world, but he could see where the line of questioning would lead. He wouldn't draw that out by being coy. Being a charlatan was getting tiring.
"Tell me though: why do you care? You don't seem like the kind of guy to be all that interested in my beliefs," Mergo said. Perhaps he was accusing. Perhaps he was only being blunt. "More of your idle curiosity at play?"
More curt of an answer than he'd ever give back in his own world, but he could see where the line of questioning would lead. He wouldn't draw that out by being coy. Being a charlatan was getting tiring.
"Tell me though: why do you care? You don't seem like the kind of guy to be all that interested in my beliefs," Mergo said. Perhaps he was accusing. Perhaps he was only being blunt. "More of your idle curiosity at play?"
"I guess," Nate said, shrugging. "Felt like something wasn't adding up. Hate that. Like you say, if you ain't got no other option and think you can't be transparent with someone... Well, I ain't met a lot of people more opaque. It's interesting is all." He tried to shrug the bag up higher on his shoulder, to no effect. "Anyway, like I said, I won't keep ya. Thanks for the answer and all."
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Mergo furrowed his brow. No doubt Nate had some conclusion he'd come to silently. Deceptive by nature.
Still though, it was... curious. After all that, Nate bothered to follow up on a rumor? And had apparently talked about him with someone else? Even worse, it might've been more far-spread than he'd thought. How many of Team Spectrum were talking to his compatriots? Awful.
"Don't mention it," he dismissed. "And I... Hm. Maybe this doesn't mean much to you coming from me, but I'd be more upfront with your Guard--... familiar. I think that term is more accurate for you. Your time together is short, and he has a long life ahead of him. A lack of closure could haunt him for lifetimes."
Still though, it was... curious. After all that, Nate bothered to follow up on a rumor? And had apparently talked about him with someone else? Even worse, it might've been more far-spread than he'd thought. How many of Team Spectrum were talking to his compatriots? Awful.
"Don't mention it," he dismissed. "And I... Hm. Maybe this doesn't mean much to you coming from me, but I'd be more upfront with your Guard--... familiar. I think that term is more accurate for you. Your time together is short, and he has a long life ahead of him. A lack of closure could haunt him for lifetimes."
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
"Yup. Found it and burned it," Mergo answered, which was strangely not as much of a lie as it could have been. Metaphorically. But none of that was important now.
"I'm not gonna pretend like I know what's best here. Complicated could mean a number of things. My Guardians tried to kill me once. I'd believe anything." The amount of insane things he'd seen from his team alone was ludicrous already. "But if it's complicated, the least you can do is talk to him about it. A little. In your own way. You'll be nothing but memories soon anyways, so what point is there in acting cold?"
"I'm not gonna pretend like I know what's best here. Complicated could mean a number of things. My Guardians tried to kill me once. I'd believe anything." The amount of insane things he'd seen from his team alone was ludicrous already. "But if it's complicated, the least you can do is talk to him about it. A little. In your own way. You'll be nothing but memories soon anyways, so what point is there in acting cold?"
Nate snorted. "Just the once? Sounds like you got off easy."
Guardian...s? Had he heard that right? Well, there wasn't any reason, he supposed, why someone couldn't have grabbed more than one shade. But good lord did that ever sound like a move you'd regret after the fact.
"Look, Rocky's the type to do something really fucking stupid, like invent some kind of starship or make a deal with whatever dimension-hopping monster just so he can go check on some old friend of his he's worried about. Better that he not see any reason to do that, get me?"
Guardian...s? Had he heard that right? Well, there wasn't any reason, he supposed, why someone couldn't have grabbed more than one shade. But good lord did that ever sound like a move you'd regret after the fact.
"Look, Rocky's the type to do something really fucking stupid, like invent some kind of starship or make a deal with whatever dimension-hopping monster just so he can go check on some old friend of his he's worried about. Better that he not see any reason to do that, get me?"
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
“I do,” he answered. “But he’s somewhat in your head. He probably knows you’re not as much of an asshole as you say you are. And even if he wasn’t, he’s still sharp enough to connect some dots.”
Mergo took a step back and started stretching his arms above his head, first one side and then the other. “I work with a lot of people with starry eyes like him. They don’t like to give up if they have something to hold onto.” He shifted his weight lower and started stretching his legs. “Should take notes from me. He let go like I was electrified.”
Mergo took a step back and started stretching his arms above his head, first one side and then the other. “I work with a lot of people with starry eyes like him. They don’t like to give up if they have something to hold onto.” He shifted his weight lower and started stretching his legs. “Should take notes from me. He let go like I was electrified.”
"Rocky and I ain't got quite the same relationship as most people and their familiars," Nate said. "So no, he ain't in my head unless I want him to be." He'd keep his own assessment of Rocky's ability to connect the dots to himself.
"What notes are you expecting me to be taking, here? You said yourself Rocky knows me pretty well. I can't, like, completely change my game in the next two weeks and expect it to do shit."
"What notes are you expecting me to be taking, here? You said yourself Rocky knows me pretty well. I can't, like, completely change my game in the next two weeks and expect it to do shit."
MadderJacker
I do not catch bugs
- Location
- Washington
- Pronouns
- He/Him
"That was a joke."
He should've started keeping track of how many of his deadpanned jokes soared unnoticed. Could've made for a fun game.
"You can do what you want, my guy. I made my mistakes. You're free to make yours." Mergo stood upright again, fully stretched and ready to go. "I'm just a bastard. What do I know, yeah?"
He should've started keeping track of how many of his deadpanned jokes soared unnoticed. Could've made for a fun game.
"You can do what you want, my guy. I made my mistakes. You're free to make yours." Mergo stood upright again, fully stretched and ready to go. "I'm just a bastard. What do I know, yeah?"
Nate snorted. "A damn sight more than some of the busybodies around here who won't butt out with their fucking advice. Wouldn't have bothered asking if I thought you didn't know shit." Regardless, it was clear the gallade--or whatever--wasn't in a chatty mood. "But whatever. Good luck finding your thing, and enjoy your... fitness."
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