Destiny Village ~ Pasta Plaza

[Chibi Pika]

Starr exhaled slowly, running a claw through her cheek fur. "I figure most of the people attacking Joule didn't really want to kill him. It was just... half the team had died, lotta emotions running hot. Not a lot of foresight, on everyone's part." Is that what you tell yourself?

She couldn't help but let out a dry snort at Nate pointing out how he'd hardly be the one picked to do that sort of dirty work. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't really have to worry about it either way." He didn't think he'd be able to do it anyway. Starr didn't know what the answer to that was for herself. "With my luck, that's the sort of shit I'd be tasked with." Always had been before. And now, well...

Sure was nice being strong.

 

[Negrek]

"Heat of the moment, sure." Nate tugged at his gills. "I dunno. Maybe you're right. But Jesus, I don't think you've gotta worry about nobody asking you to off Giovanni yourself. Like, he ain't your real dad or nothing, but that'd still be pretty fucked up." Nate glanced at Starr. "On the other hand... If you wanted to do the deed, I think people'd let you have it. If you asked. You sure as hell got the right as much as anybody. Like, I ain't judging one way or the other, but I get the feeling you aren't super into the idea. So I don't think you got nothing to worry about there."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr rubbed the back of her head. "Right, yeah... that was probably a stupid thing to say." Obviously no one would ask her to do that, and yet she'd just defaulted to feeling like it would fall on her anyway. While also feeling mildly offended at the idea that she didn't have it in her to do it. What the fuck.

"Eh... it's probably pointless to make guesses about it anyway," Starr went on, folding her arms. "Like you said, not like it'll have anything to do with us. Someone else'll make the call."

 

[Negrek]

"Yeah. I suppose it ain't up to us, anyhow." That brought back the nagging question of who it was up to, then. Arceus, maybe? Nate almost wished he could go ask the guy. Almost. That fucker. "Anyway, glad I caught you. You're probably right about Silver. Been thinking I needed to have a serious talk with him anyhow. Maybe I'll try to catch him at the lab after his flight training."

The poor guy was still swooping around up there, trying not to fucking die from Yveltal's attacks. The legendaries around here sure didn't go easy on their apprentices. "You can come too, if you like. Since it kinda concerns you if Silver gave away your secret to Giovanni, even without realizing it. That's pretty fucked." He climbed down from his seat--literally fucking climbed, there was a tiny ladder for the poor bastards who had to use the super high chairs--and looked up at Starr. Okay, so getting down had been a mistake. She looked about fifty feet tall from down here. "Otherwise, catch you around, I guess. Don't let that bastard get to you."

<><><>​

 

[Flyg0n]

Koa fluttered about the plaza, taking in all the strange sights and sounds. The place was one of favorite spots, aside from the X-Eye, and the Hero, and the Cafeteria, and Sundae Park, and a few other spots. Pasta Plaza always had tons of great food and interesting things to see. The only downside was there were no fans around, as far as he could see.

Something below caught his eye and he looked to see a biped feline looking shade. His eyes lit up. That had to be the one Koa told him about! Based on a legend or something, which was pretty neat. He swooped down to greet her.

"Hey Luz! I'm Echo! Koa's new familiar." He hovered a few feet away from her face, giving a friendly grin.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz had been wandering idly around Pasta Plaza as she often did of a free afternoon, taking in the sights and smells and sounds with pleasure, and occasionally introducing herself to a curious stranger. It wasn't every day that the curious stranger was another shade, though!

"Woah, hey there partner!" she said, paws akimbo. "Y'already know me, huh? I ain't heard yer story yet! How d'you do, fella?"

 

[Flyg0n]

"Oh I'm great! And yeah, Koa told me about you. He says 'Luz is super sick!'" he fluttered closer to her and perched on her head.

"I'm Echo. Koa's Crobat on his world." He paused, then added "his starter." His voice was filled with pride.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz grinned at the compliment. Aw, Koa said that about her? It felt good, hearing something nice said about her. Especially behind her back!

What was Echo getting at, though? Obviously something he was delighted about. Luz had heard a little about human pokémon trainers, but not much...

"Y'belong to him, huh? What's a 'starter', fella?"

 

[Flyg0n]

"Oh, you don't know about trainers, right?" Echo said, leaning down from his perch on her head to stare into her eyes.

How to explain... "Starters are like, the first pokemon a trainer ever gets, so we're important. We kinda have a special bond with a trainer." He paused, tapping his wing on his chin. "Kinda like best friends I guess? That person you trust lots!"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Being important, huh? Having a special bond. Best friends who trusted each other. Sounded real nice.

"I dunno if I got anyone like that, exactly. I think I get on okay with a lotta folks, but the only special bond I'm sure of is more like family than what yer talkin' about, and it ain't so glitterin' as yer thing."

She laughed off the weird feeling she was getting, and gestured warmly to the crobat-shade.

"But hey, good fer you, fella! No wonder you've taken this form and persona on Cibus. Welcome to life, brother!"

 

[Flyg0n]

"Thanks," he said with a pleased chirp. "And I bet you could have a friend if you wanted. I know Koa thinks you're really neat. Sure it takes time but, you just gotta find people you like and hang out with them."

He patted her head with one wing. "I bet a lot of other 'mon here would like to be your friend."

Perhaps he could even be friends with Luz. She seemed fun.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz smiled at the earnest critter. She liked this one. She tended to like shades. They were so often so raw. All the character of a full life, placed int a context where none of it was relevant except their personal expression.

"Like I said, I got friends aplenty. Just none as couldn't stand to be without me, I think."

Not that she wanted most of them to be at sea if she were gone. Just one.

"You seem friendly enough yerself, Crobat Echo! Ain't yer kind th'sort as only evolves through friendship? You'd know, huh!"

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo wondered how that felt, not to have a trainer. It seemed both interesting and sad. "Yup! It's hard to explain. For a long time I thought I would never be strong enough. I wanted to help Koa but I always felt so weak and useless. But then Koa told me he doesn't care about all that, you know? He just wanted me, exactly how I was."

He grinned at the memory. He always liked talking about that moment, especially since it was the reason he'd gotten four wings.

"What about you? You're Brisa's right, based on stories about legends? Guess that makes you a legend of your own!"

Maybe it was something he'd picked up from Koa, but he loved the idea of meeting legends.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz laughed. What a cutie. He and Koa must make a right pair. Lucky them.

"Yeah, I guess I'm s'posed to resemble Zeraora Luz Escarpa, the Wanderin' Light. I, ah, met her recently in a dream of sorts, and we ain't too much alike. Plus I don't have a history of my own, or the power or responsibility of a legend, or anythin' like that. All my memories are Brisa's, but from the perspective of what she imagined Luz t'be like as a kid. In a way, ha, I guess I'm more like..."

...oh.

"...I'm who she always wanted to be."

 

[Flyg0n]

"Yeah, there's always a lot more to people and pokemon than just stories, you know? That's one piece of a picture!" Echo cocked his head considering her words futher. "Hmm, that means you're like... a version of her almost? Like a sister! You get to live however you like now, and I bet you could even help her see what she can become."

He patted her head comfortingly. "I bet you two could be great friends if you wanted to."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

A . . . sister?

It was a struggle to speak, for a moment. When she laughed it off, it didn't sound at all authentic. But like heck was she gonna let a stranger make her choke up in a minute flat.

"I guess so? I figure if we're anythin', 'sisters' fits us better'n most monikers."

She gave the other shade a gentle thump on the side as a reply to his wingpats. "Sounds good t'me. Tell y'what, I'll see if thinkin' of it like that helps matters some. How about yerself, though? Enjoyin' life as a shade in Cibus?"

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo smiled a little. Luz rather reminded him of Koa. He'd heard that laugh from his trainer before, usually followed by something to the effect of 'I'm fine' or 'It's nothing'. It was equal parts amusing and sad. If only Koa knew he had a lot mroe in common with people and mon than he realized.

"Sounds good," he replied, nuzzling slightly into her touch.

"And yeah! Being a shade is really great. I'm practically indestructible and I can turn into a puddle of slime with is pretty weird, but fun. Although I can't taste things the same, which is kinda sad." He frowned at that, pouting a little. "Of course, that doesn't stop me! I love trying all the foods here. There's so many things that I've never seen before."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz nodded with enthusiasm.

"Sounds like you're a guy after my own heart! That's why I spend a lotta my free time here. Gotta try every kinda food they got! Shall we take a look t'gether, my new pal?"

 

[Flyg0n]

Echo's ears twitched. He beamed and fluttered his wings in excitement. "Oooh yes, that sounds fun! Let's do it!"

His trainer was right, this Luz character was pretty 'sick'. She seemed to know how to have a good time. "What kinda foods do you like? I love sweet things! Especially honey," he added.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz shrugged expansively and laughed at Echo's sheer earnestness.

"What can I say, fella? Variety is the spice of life, or so they tell me! Don't think I've tried honey yet, but sweet things are real good fer sure..."

The zeraora-shade set off strolling along the plaza as she'd been, the crobat-shade at her shoulder.

<><><><><>​