Starr glanced away with a huff. "I don't know. Maybe? It's fucking stupid, I know. We've been beating the shit out of gods that're at least level with Mewtwo, maybe even more. I shouldn't be feeling like this."
Destiny Village ~ X-Eye Cauldron
- Thread starter Namohysip
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unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Brisa shook her head. "Nah. We've been fightin' pokémon as powerful as that body he's in, but we ain't been fightin' him. And we ain't ever fought him at full strength, neither. Just think about that, willya? Every time we've faced Giovanni, we've been taken by surprise while already exhausted. We've been on the back foot every time. And... I don't reckon that's an unfamiliar feelin' fer you, if you grew up with that yer whole life. Of course it's fuckin' harder."
Brisa almost put out a paw, then bit her cheek. Gods, she knew Starr would be okay with it, maybe even needed it, but four years without someone to reach for had made Brisa forget how to. She thought of Luz, always touching people by the shoulder with a fierce smile. That wasn't her. It was too hard.
"Harder don't mean impossible, though," she said, softer.
Brisa reached out and put her paw on Starr's, and gripped it tight. It felt... warm.
"We can beat him, you 'n' I together. All we need is to figure out an angle that lets us put the hurt on him fer once. And there's nobody better positioned to do that than a daughter who knows everythin' about him, but who he has no idea about at all. You, Starr. You're how we beat him."
Brisa almost put out a paw, then bit her cheek. Gods, she knew Starr would be okay with it, maybe even needed it, but four years without someone to reach for had made Brisa forget how to. She thought of Luz, always touching people by the shoulder with a fierce smile. That wasn't her. It was too hard.
"Harder don't mean impossible, though," she said, softer.
Brisa reached out and put her paw on Starr's, and gripped it tight. It felt... warm.
"We can beat him, you 'n' I together. All we need is to figure out an angle that lets us put the hurt on him fer once. And there's nobody better positioned to do that than a daughter who knows everythin' about him, but who he has no idea about at all. You, Starr. You're how we beat him."
Starr chuckled weakly, shaking her head. "Where the hell's that confidence coming from." She was used to Brisa being the anxious one overreacting to things. The reversal was... strange. But it was hard to deny that she didn't feel alone, and that was something.
"Don't know how much I buy it, but it feels good hearing it, so... thanks." She gripped the Luxio's paw back. It was strangely comforting.
"Don't know how much I buy it, but it feels good hearing it, so... thanks." She gripped the Luxio's paw back. It was strangely comforting.
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Brisa let Starr grip her paw as long as she wanted; there was nothing that could make Brisa snatch her paw back now.
She smiled drily. "I just wanna say... as much as everythin' feels like it's goin' to shit sometimes, and how tired I am, and how fuckin' bad I feel about Sword... when I look at the folks who fight beside me," when I look at you, "it's hard to doubt that we'll pull through somehow."
She smiled drily. "I just wanna say... as much as everythin' feels like it's goin' to shit sometimes, and how tired I am, and how fuckin' bad I feel about Sword... when I look at the folks who fight beside me," when I look at you, "it's hard to doubt that we'll pull through somehow."
Starr met Brisa's eye. The urge to dispute what she was saying was still there, but... it was harder to listen to it with just how damn earnest Brisa had looked when she said it.
"Yeah. Maybe you're right." Maybe they would beat him, dammit. It was all they could hope.
"And hey... speaking of shitty dads who need a beating, you finally got to meet your dad and Dave came with?"
"Yeah. Maybe you're right." Maybe they would beat him, dammit. It was all they could hope.
"And hey... speaking of shitty dads who need a beating, you finally got to meet your dad and Dave came with?"
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
She blew out a breath in a voiceless whistle. Jesse and Dave. How to talk about that?
"As fer my pa... I guess I asked Dave to come, and he said yes, and Buffet said that was fine. I thought... I thought he'd have my back. Give Jesse shit if he tried browbeatin' me. In the end, he couldn't wait to get his teeth into Jesse, and it was barely five fuckin' seconds afore he started in on him about... about what I told ya."
She hissed through her teeth and tightened her grip on Starr's paw, hard.
"They, uh. Had some kinda telepathic argument. It spilled over. I saw how my pa remembered my fight with Cathy, which wasn't fuckin' pretty. I saw some awful shit in Dave's head, but that ain't mine to tell ya about. In the end, they mentally beat the shit outta each other fer... fer bein' absurdly like each other. Ended up exhausted."
She cut herself off, tail flicking, as she recalled what she'd seen and heard in vivid detail.
"As fer my pa... I guess I asked Dave to come, and he said yes, and Buffet said that was fine. I thought... I thought he'd have my back. Give Jesse shit if he tried browbeatin' me. In the end, he couldn't wait to get his teeth into Jesse, and it was barely five fuckin' seconds afore he started in on him about... about what I told ya."
She hissed through her teeth and tightened her grip on Starr's paw, hard.
"They, uh. Had some kinda telepathic argument. It spilled over. I saw how my pa remembered my fight with Cathy, which wasn't fuckin' pretty. I saw some awful shit in Dave's head, but that ain't mine to tell ya about. In the end, they mentally beat the shit outta each other fer... fer bein' absurdly like each other. Ended up exhausted."
She cut herself off, tail flicking, as she recalled what she'd seen and heard in vivid detail.
Starr put her other paw to her forehead with a dry laugh. "Oh my god, Dave. Must've sucked to overhear that. I guess I can't blame him for laying into the guy though. Was half-wishing I could've done it myself. Though... not feeling like I missed out if it turned into that." Psychic bullshit and reliving memories? Hell no.
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Brisa looked up with a quiet chuckle. "I thought of askin' you to come, but I couldn't stand the thought of him diggin' around in yer head. Dave's a dark type, so I thought he'd be clear, but he actually let Jesse do it. Out of, I dunno, stubbornness or somethin'."
She tutted, shook her head. "Even so, I did find out what happened to him. Went off east to fight some threat he didn't wanna tell me and my ma about. His usual bullshit, thinkin' he knows best about everythin'. At least I got to tell him he was wrong about me. And... against every expectation I had, he even apologised."
And he looked at me and begged my help because he'd got it all wrong.
"Seemed... seemed like he meant it."
Brisa grit her teeth. She was still seething about it, underneath her fur. Sure, Jesse had apologised... but that only meant that he was wrong, and he was capable of realising it, he'd just taken seven years and a magic encounter with a god and his opposite number from another world to come to terms with that. Salt and sand and spit, it shouldn't have taken all that, should it?
She tutted, shook her head. "Even so, I did find out what happened to him. Went off east to fight some threat he didn't wanna tell me and my ma about. His usual bullshit, thinkin' he knows best about everythin'. At least I got to tell him he was wrong about me. And... against every expectation I had, he even apologised."
And he looked at me and begged my help because he'd got it all wrong.
"Seemed... seemed like he meant it."
Brisa grit her teeth. She was still seething about it, underneath her fur. Sure, Jesse had apologised... but that only meant that he was wrong, and he was capable of realising it, he'd just taken seven years and a magic encounter with a god and his opposite number from another world to come to terms with that. Salt and sand and spit, it shouldn't have taken all that, should it?
From Brisa's tone, it sounded like her dad apologizing was a real hell frozen over sort of deal. But still...
"It shouldn't have fucking taken that much for him to realize he screwed up," Starr muttered, scowling. "And like, is he even gonna remember it? Geez..." Her tail lashed back and forth in agitation, and she took a deep breath to calm herself.
"Well, at least that explains where you got the idea that you've gotta always be the one to fix things," Starr added with a bit of a smirk.
"It shouldn't have fucking taken that much for him to realize he screwed up," Starr muttered, scowling. "And like, is he even gonna remember it? Geez..." Her tail lashed back and forth in agitation, and she took a deep breath to calm herself.
"Well, at least that explains where you got the idea that you've gotta always be the one to fix things," Starr added with a bit of a smirk.
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
"Apparently he might remember changin' his mind, accordin' to Buffet..."
Wait. 'Always gotta be the one to fix things'?
"Hold up a second. Whaddaya mean by that, partner? I– I'm just one gal, I can't fix everythin'. I dunno what yer talkin' about."
Brisa blinked in confusion and went to her drink for something to focus on that wasn't Starr's smirk, which as usual, was getting right under her skin. Why'd she have to be so smug when she was calling Brisa out for something? Especially something that didn't make a lick of sense. But Starr was Starr, so there must be something to what she was saying. Brisa would hear her out, at least.
Wait. 'Always gotta be the one to fix things'?
"Hold up a second. Whaddaya mean by that, partner? I– I'm just one gal, I can't fix everythin'. I dunno what yer talkin' about."
Brisa blinked in confusion and went to her drink for something to focus on that wasn't Starr's smirk, which as usual, was getting right under her skin. Why'd she have to be so smug when she was calling Brisa out for something? Especially something that didn't make a lick of sense. But Starr was Starr, so there must be something to what she was saying. Brisa would hear her out, at least.
Starr snorted. "I know you can't fix everything. Just wasn't so sure that you'd figured that out yet. My friend Ajia back home is like that--always acting like the world's her responsibility, and..." She paused, shaking her head. "Look, I know we've got a mission here, but you don't have to take charge if it's killing you, alright?"
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
"I know– hey, I know that," stammered Brisa.
Her tail thrashed with the urge to defend herself, but her friend wasn't putting her down, she was smiling at her and telling her she cared, in her own odd way. Starr wasn't placing expectations on her, but relieving her of them. Wind and weather, Brisa didn't know how to show just how grateful that made her feel. She squeezed Starr's paw in hers again and–
"Fight me!" she blurted.
"Uh, what?"
"Fuckin' fight me, Starr! I wanna battle you, first chance I get!"
Her tail thrashed with the urge to defend herself, but her friend wasn't putting her down, she was smiling at her and telling her she cared, in her own odd way. Starr wasn't placing expectations on her, but relieving her of them. Wind and weather, Brisa didn't know how to show just how grateful that made her feel. She squeezed Starr's paw in hers again and–
"Fight me!" she blurted.
"Uh, what?"
"Fuckin' fight me, Starr! I wanna battle you, first chance I get!"
Starr narrowed her eyes, ears flattening. God dammit, and just when she thought things were going right for a change. Seemed like no matter what she did, people just got pissed at her out of nowhere.
"Look if I said something that bothered you, just fucking tell me, alright?" she muttered, glancing away. "Not a fan of guessing games."
"Look if I said something that bothered you, just fucking tell me, alright?" she muttered, glancing away. "Not a fan of guessing games."
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
No! No, that wasn't–
"Y'ain't botherin' me!" she shot back. "Y'got the wrong idea, partner!"
Brisa tugged on Starr's paw, tried to meet her eye. "I wanna fight you as a friend," she said. "Battlin' is how I understand folks, how I get t'feel close to 'em. You're the most fantastic goddamn fighter I ever saw, and we ain't ever had a proper battle since..."
She winced at the memory of how stupid she'd been. "Since things were bad between us."
"But they ain't bad now! I can fuckin' talk t'you, understand where you're comin' from. That's why I wanna fight you. And goddamnit, that's all I can fuckin' think about. So say you'll fight me, Starr!"
"Y'ain't botherin' me!" she shot back. "Y'got the wrong idea, partner!"
Brisa tugged on Starr's paw, tried to meet her eye. "I wanna fight you as a friend," she said. "Battlin' is how I understand folks, how I get t'feel close to 'em. You're the most fantastic goddamn fighter I ever saw, and we ain't ever had a proper battle since..."
She winced at the memory of how stupid she'd been. "Since things were bad between us."
"But they ain't bad now! I can fuckin' talk t'you, understand where you're comin' from. That's why I wanna fight you. And goddamnit, that's all I can fuckin' think about. So say you'll fight me, Starr!"
Oh, she just wanted a damn battle. Well, that was sure better than the alternative. Even if Starr wasn't sure why the hell Brisa had to be so overdramatic about it, like she'd been sitting on this for weeks.
The last time they'd fought was a dull flicker in her memory. That didn't matter. That was then. This was now.
Starr pulled her paw back, scratching behind her ear with a dismissive shrug. "Geez, if you're that eager to throw down, all you gotta do is ask."
The last time they'd fought was a dull flicker in her memory. That didn't matter. That was then. This was now.
Starr pulled her paw back, scratching behind her ear with a dismissive shrug. "Geez, if you're that eager to throw down, all you gotta do is ask."
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Brisa's ears burned a little at Starr's words. Why'd she have to do that? Treating this like no big deal, even though it meant something to Brisa.
"W-well, great! I'm glad t'hear it!"
She huffed the embarrassment away and reminded herself that this was good, that Starr had agreed to it, that they were gonna get to battle! She was practically itching for it. She didn't even care whether she won.
"Wind's honest truth, I can't fuckin' wait!" said Brisa, with a grin. Giovanni's machinations and the pressure they put on her be damned. She'd smiled more in the last few months than she had in the six years before, and she was gonna go on making the most of what she had here. Like battles with Starr.
gods, I wanna fight you every goddamn day, Brisa thought to herself.
Starr cleared her throat. She was looking at Brisa with an odd sort of smirk. What? What was it now?
"Why're y'givin' me that look?" Brisa demanded.
"W-well, great! I'm glad t'hear it!"
She huffed the embarrassment away and reminded herself that this was good, that Starr had agreed to it, that they were gonna get to battle! She was practically itching for it. She didn't even care whether she won.
"Wind's honest truth, I can't fuckin' wait!" said Brisa, with a grin. Giovanni's machinations and the pressure they put on her be damned. She'd smiled more in the last few months than she had in the six years before, and she was gonna go on making the most of what she had here. Like battles with Starr.
gods, I wanna fight you every goddamn day, Brisa thought to herself.
Starr cleared her throat. She was looking at Brisa with an odd sort of smirk. What? What was it now?
"Why're y'givin' me that look?" Brisa demanded.
Starr eyed Brisa skeptically, face slowly splitting into a crooked grin as she realized what had just happened. "Nothing. I'm sure it'll be fun."
"Gods, I wanna fight you every goddamn day," Brisa had said. With that ridiculously overeager face, blushing up a friggin' storm. And now she just looked confused like... she really didn't know? Was she that oblivious, or...?
Well. That sure explained why she'd been so flustered earlier.
"Gods, I wanna fight you every goddamn day," Brisa had said. With that ridiculously overeager face, blushing up a friggin' storm. And now she just looked confused like... she really didn't know? Was she that oblivious, or...?
Well. That sure explained why she'd been so flustered earlier.
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
"Yeah. Fer sure!"
Damn, she must be bone-tired if two double whiskeys and an embarrassing but easily-salvaged misunderstanding was all it took to get her face hot. It was hard to care when she was beyond excited at the prospect—finally!—of duelling with Starr. Now that sounded like the time of her life.
"So," she said, searching for a new topic that would let her adrenaline-thirsty heart calm down a touch, "how are things with your bonded shade?"
Starr scowled in that endearing way she had when she got mad about something she had no intention of changing. "Lexx? Don't get me started on that smug bastard..."
Brisa smiled as she listened to Starr rant about something that didn't need solving and wasn't Brisa's responsibility, and just enjoyed the comforting familiarity of Starr complaining. Until she had to go, called away by a text from Luz, it was the most at-ease she'd felt in weeks.
Damn, she must be bone-tired if two double whiskeys and an embarrassing but easily-salvaged misunderstanding was all it took to get her face hot. It was hard to care when she was beyond excited at the prospect—finally!—of duelling with Starr. Now that sounded like the time of her life.
"So," she said, searching for a new topic that would let her adrenaline-thirsty heart calm down a touch, "how are things with your bonded shade?"
Starr scowled in that endearing way she had when she got mad about something she had no intention of changing. "Lexx? Don't get me started on that smug bastard..."
Brisa smiled as she listened to Starr rant about something that didn't need solving and wasn't Brisa's responsibility, and just enjoyed the comforting familiarity of Starr complaining. Until she had to go, called away by a text from Luz, it was the most at-ease she'd felt in weeks.
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R8 - Two Daves, Brisa and Mia Discuss Responsibility
The other Poochyena didn't go away.
It'd been a challenge to get back to drinks in the first place; Dave'd been turned away from the bar at first, politely informed if not in so many words that he looked like seven kinds of shit, and pointed to a bathhouse. He'd scrubbed the blood out of his fur, eaten an Oran Berry, and only then finally, finally made his way back to the Cauldron and ordered a goddamn whisky. But now he was on his second one and Mia had been munching on a steak sandwich for a while (apparently familiars couldn't really eat, but she just did it anyway, chunks of food murkily visible floating inside the goop of her chest), and still, still, the Shadow was lying curled up against Mia, shivering. Just the best part of this fucking evening.
It'd been a challenge to get back to drinks in the first place; Dave'd been turned away from the bar at first, politely informed if not in so many words that he looked like seven kinds of shit, and pointed to a bathhouse. He'd scrubbed the blood out of his fur, eaten an Oran Berry, and only then finally, finally made his way back to the Cauldron and ordered a goddamn whisky. But now he was on his second one and Mia had been munching on a steak sandwich for a while (apparently familiars couldn't really eat, but she just did it anyway, chunks of food murkily visible floating inside the goop of her chest), and still, still, the Shadow was lying curled up against Mia, shivering. Just the best part of this fucking evening.
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Losing Sword. Losing her temper. That thing with Owen. Worrying about Astrid. Losing her temper again with Karat. Could nothing be easy? Could nothing be painless? Everything was shit and that... that meant getting drinks. Lots of drinks.
But practically the first damn thing she saw on entering the Cauldron was Dave, and the second was Dave's shadow clutching Mia. Fuck's sake.
Duty over comfort.
...eh, maybe duty and comfort could come at once. It'd be weird not to drink with him, right?
"Evenin', bartender. I'll take a dark ale, thanks kindly."
She put herself next to Dave without asking his assent, and waited for him to speak or her ale to arrive before she'd say anything to him or his odd companions.
But practically the first damn thing she saw on entering the Cauldron was Dave, and the second was Dave's shadow clutching Mia. Fuck's sake.
Duty over comfort.
...eh, maybe duty and comfort could come at once. It'd be weird not to drink with him, right?
"Evenin', bartender. I'll take a dark ale, thanks kindly."
She put herself next to Dave without asking his assent, and waited for him to speak or her ale to arrive before she'd say anything to him or his odd companions.
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