After dropping Saltriv off at the infirmary, having a berry to recover a bit of his strength, and confirming with Mia that she was fine and training, Dave'd headed for the Cauldron. Somewhere along the way Shadow had quietly disappeared. The corruption, the cold buzzing sensation, had slowly faded, but something of it lingered, of the alien thoughts that'd gone through his head, at the battle against Red and again now.
Nothing a stiff drink or two couldn't fix.
Meeting Soda at the bar was incidental but not unwelcome. The forest had sure been a time for him. They could talk about that. Unexpectedly, though, he actually seemed in a much better mood than last time they'd talked, offered to get him food and all. Well, Dave wasn't complaining.
"You can say that again," he said, wolfing down spicy wings alongside his favorite of the Cauldron's beers. He kept an eye on Soda as he ate, on his casual slouch. Something'd clearly gotten him excited about the saving Sword thing, but he'd also gone and specifically looked at Dave to say he wasn't going to talk about why, like he'd been sure Dave'd just be burning with curiosity about this, and fuck that.
Instead, he took a sip of his drink and raised an eyebrow. "So, your partner actually have a thing with Arceus, or did the forest make that one up?"
