Hunger Switch Cafe

[Sinderella]

"The power of friendship? Really?" Nate couldn't stifle a snort.

Odette held up her hands defensively. "No, Mitch. I said Power of Fucking Friendship. Because Power of Friendship sounds like some cliche cringe bullshit my boyfriend would enjoy watching in one of his animes. This isn't an anime, this is real life, so I'm hardening it a little."

"But yeah, I have to figure it's getting something out of the people it takes. Some kind of energy. But how long it intends to keep the hostages alive, I ain't got no fucking clue. Don't imagine it'll matter, once it's got enough power to do whatever the fuck it wants to do." One way or another, Nate had to assume that their enemy's plan would end pretty fatally.

She lowered her hands back to the table. "That energy has to be the bond thing. Wallace was eager enough to compare it to Z-Moves, so I'm willing to bet it's that same kind of battle energy that could be harvested."

Though, Mitch had a point. What would a malicious being do with its playthings once it'd gotten what it wanted?

Well, if it was anything like her own father, a malicious being in his own fucking right, then it'd definitely dispose of them. That was not a pleasant though.

"The hoopa?" Nate asked. "I dunno. Weren't that who found all of us in the first place, and brought us over to the island? With the ring things, right? If it could do that, why not just grab people and take them straight to the void place? Or dump them on the island one by one, if that somehow matters, and then move them into the void? Why bother with the whole festival cover? If anything it seems like that would hurt its chances of doing whatever, since there'd be so many badass trainers around who might get in its way."

Man, this guy was good at raising some decent points. "Maybe it was easier to have all the pickings in one place? Instead of bouncing from world to world trying to pick out what trainers had good relations with their 'mon?"


Her gaze fell back to the table. "Or...maybe it falls back on that bond power thing. If this thing really is harvesting literal friendship energy to use against us, maybe it figured it'd have better luck overpowering us here instead of our own worlds? I'll be frank, Odile is a legendary. A very powerful, angry one at that. And Enora has battled some ridiculous shit in the past, so she could hold her own too. I feel like they'd have little issue thwarting a petty mythic with a lonely god complex where we come from, but here? Who knows. They seem a tad more limited in this world."

As though somehow summoned by the thought, Odette's pokémon reappeared, with way more espresso than Nate had seen in one place before. "Holy shit," he said. He hadn't really been serious. "Thanks, like, damn." He had no idea why Odette's pokémon had taken a shine to him, but he sure as hell wasn't complaining.

"Yeah, did I mention she's the literal embodiment of Wrath? When you yelled at that big chick on the boat she thought it was the best thing since Poke Ball voice activation keys, so she thinks you're, how you'd say in Galarian, her 'bestie.' I'm sorry, but I can't really help that."

Well, he wasn't going to turn his nose up at free espresso. Nate downed one of the shots and was reaching for another while he said, "So what the hell is this Golden King thing, anyhow?"

Right. Mitch wouldn't know anything about that, would he? Hell, she'd only found out about it the day she got him back.

Fishing out her phone, she began to tell him of Jirachi's theory. As she spoke, she remembered Kimiko's text, and how she mentioned she'd found out more about it. Maybe when Odette left here, she'd go hunt the blonde down after talking to Xavian.

"And that's not all," she continued, handing Mitch her phone, already open to the 'Serious Business' chat. "Everything we've found so far was relayed in that chat, so educate yourself a little bit before you start roaming again. It's--"

H̶E̸Y̸ ̷O̶D̶E̶T̷T̸E̶,̷ ̵X̵E̴N̴O̵M̶O̵R̷P̶H̴ ̸I̵S̶ ̵A̵B̷O̷U̸T̷ ̴T̶O̵ ̵T̶E̵L̸L̴ ̴M̶E̴ ̵W̷H̴E̶R̸E̶ ̸H̷I̸S̵ ̵R̸O̴O̸M̵ ̶I̴S̶.̴ ̷S̸U̴C̵K̷ ̸M̷Y̷ ̷D̵I̶C̴K̴.̷ ̴


"AH!"

"Thank you all," she said. "I really do feel much better now."

Oh, good. Perhaps not totally up to stuff, but Enora would accept that--


As Odette screamed, Enora flinched and darted out from under the table. "Odette? What's wrong?"

He glanced apologetically at Mitch and Odette. “Sorry. I think we have to go. But if either of you are planning to find that little Hoopa bastard today, I want in.”

With that, he pushed back his chair, picked up the still gagging Neo, and headed for the exit. Novo gave Mightyena and Enora one parting lick on the cheek each, then followed his trainer out of the cafe.

Blinking, it took Odette a second to recover from Odile's voice in her head.

You haven't done that all fucking trip, what the HELL was that for?

W̸e̷l̸l̸ ̸I̴ ̸h̵a̷v̵e̷n̷'̴t̷ ̸n̶e̸e̶d̸e̷d̸ ̷t̴o̷ ̶b̴e̷c̴a̶u̶s̷e̴ ̷I̶'̶v̴e̷ ̴b̶e̶e̴n̴ ̷n̶e̶x̸t̴ ̶t̸o̷ ̶y̵o̶u̶ ̶t̸h̶e̷ ̴w̶h̷o̴l̴e̷ ̴t̸i̷m̵e̴.̸ ̵B̸u̵t̴ ̴y̸e̴a̵h̵,̸ ̸s̷u̶c̴k̴ ̵m̶y̷ ̸W̷H̸O̶L̶E̴ ̶E̷N̵T̷I̴R̶E̷ ̵F̸A̴T̷ ̶A̷S̸S̵.̵ ̸

She abruptly shook her head. "I'm...sorry. Odile knows how to astral project her stupid voice over to me and--"

A̸C̷K̷N̷O̴W̴L̴E̷D̸G̴E̵ ̶M̶Y̷ ̸F̸U̴C̸K̸I̴N̵G̴ ̸W̷I̵N̶.̴ ̵A̸C̴K̷N̶O̴W̸L̴E̴D̷G̵E̸ ̷T̷H̷A̴T̴ ̶I̶ ̵C̵A̸N̴ ̵B̶E̷ ̷N̷I̵C̸E̸.̶ ̷A̶C̸K̸N̷O̷W̷L̷E̵D̶G̸E̸ ̸T̶H̴A̴T̷ ̵I̸ ̷A̴M̵ ̶A̷ ̷M̵O̵T̸H̴E̵R̸F̷U̸C̴K̸I̸N̴G̴ ̷B̵E̸A̶S̶T̶ ̶W̸H̴E̴N̸ ̷I̷T̴ ̴C̵O̶M̵E̶S̵ ̷T̶O̵ ̵E̴S̷P̶I̵O̵N̵A̶G̶E̸.̴ ̶

Gods, now she was once more remembering how hard it was to talk outloud with a demon tickling her brain like this. She waved half-heartedly at Wes as he left. "Yeah, I'll let you know," she said distantly.

What did you do?

B̶r̶o̵u̶g̶h̵t̴ ̴h̶i̶m̷ ̵t̴h̷e̴ ̶d̶r̸i̸n̵k̵s̶.̵ ̶A̸n̷d̸ ̶a̷ ̵c̶a̸c̵t̸u̶s̶.̸ ̶W̶e̷ ̸a̸r̷e̶ ̷w̴a̴l̵k̷i̵n̸g̵ ̴t̸o̴ ̵t̴h̴e̶ ̵r̸o̵o̵m̷ ̷a̵s̸ ̷I̵ ̸a̴m̸ ̶t̶a̶l̴k̸i̵n̴g̷ ̵t̸o̵ ̵y̷o̵u̶.̸ ̷S̸u̷c̷k̸ ̶i̸t̷.̴ ̶

"I--wait, WES--"

She turned to grab him, but he was already gone. How long was she hazed out listening to Odile scream at her?

Dazedly, she looked back at Mitch. "...I guess there's no sane way to say this, but my fucking demon Pokemon just found Xavian's quarters. Hold please."

Yeah. Yeah. You're awesome. Good job, she returned quickly. What are you seeing?

S̵o̸ ̶y̶e̷a̴h̴,̸ ̴l̸o̷o̸k̵s̸ ̵l̶i̷k̷e̵ ̷h̶e̸ ̴l̷i̷v̴e̵s̸ ̶i̸n̷ ̸l̸i̸k̴e̶,̶ ̴t̴h̴e̵ ̶e̸m̸p̵l̷o̶y̸e̶e̴ ̸q̸u̶a̵r̸t̸e̶r̷s̵ ̵a̶t̵ ̴t̵h̷e̶ ̵b̴a̶c̶k̷ ̵o̸f̶ ̸t̴h̸e̵ ̶l̴o̵u̷n̷g̷e̸?̶

Covering her ears, Odette lowered her head toward the table tuning out all surrounding voices and sounds in order to listen as closely as possible to what Odile was relaying to her. The employee quarters, the room...

And Clink.

O̷k̶a̶y̸,̴ ̸s̸o̸ ̷I̴ ̸s̴e̶e̷ ̶C̸l̴i̶n̵k̷.̸ ̸H̶e̶ ̷l̵o̴o̷k̷s̶ ̴b̵a̴d̶.̷ ̷V̵e̶r̵y̷ ̸b̴a̵d̷.̸ ̸M̷a̴y̶b̴e̶ ̶d̷o̶n̶’̵t̶ ̷c̵o̶m̶e̴ ̴r̴i̷g̷h̸t̷ ̸n̸o̴w̸,̷ ̵b̷e̶c̵a̸u̴s̵e̵ ̵I̶ ̵d̴o̴n̴’̸t̴ ̷s̵e̴e̶ ̶O̴r̶z̶o̷.̵ ̶Y̷e̴a̵h̸.̶ ̵C̴o̵m̸i̴n̴g̶ ̶r̸i̷g̶h̶t̵ ̸n̵o̶w̸ ̷w̴o̵u̸l̶d̶ ̴b̶e̶ ̴b̶a̸d̷.̸ ̶

Can you SMELL Orzo? How bad does Clink look?

S̷h̶h̸h̵,̴ ̸h̶a̴n̵g̸ ̷o̴n̸.̸ ̶S̸t̵e̶v̷e̴n̵ ̷a̴n̸d̷ ̷A̸g̷g̸r̵o̸n̷ ̷h̶a̶v̸e̴ ̵a̴ ̴f̵l̴o̸w̴e̵r̶ ̴f̷r̷o̶m̶ ̷S̴h̶a̸y̷m̸i̸n̶.̶

They WHAT?

When she didn't get a response, she pressed on her ears harder. Odile?

Y̸O̸O̵O̶O̷O̴O̶O̷O̷O̴O̸O̸O̴O̵O̵O̶O̷O̵O̴ ̶I̵T̸ ̷F̸U̴C̶K̴I̷N̷G̵ ̵W̸O̴R̶K̵E̶D̵.̷ ̷

The flower from Shaymin? It healed Clink?

I̴T̸ ̴H̶E̷L̶L̸A̸ ̴W̴O̴R̵K̸E̶D̴.̵

What about Orzo? Find Orzo.

̶I̴ ̸c̵a̴n̸'̷t̶ ̷l̴o̴o̵k̸ ̷f̵o̶r̴ ̸O̴r̶z̴o̷ ̴n̸o̸w̶;̶ ̸X̸a̵v̸i̵a̶n̴'̴s̵ ̴p̴r̴e̶t̵t̵y̷ ̸e̶x̶c̵i̴t̸e̷d̵ ̵t̵o̸ ̷s̶e̶e̷ ̷C̶l̷i̶n̸k̵ ̵l̷o̸o̶k̶i̸n̶g̷ ̷b̵e̸t̵t̸e̴r̵ ̵a̴n̴d̵ ̸I̸'̵m̸ ̵n̶o̸t̷ ̵a̷b̶o̸u̸t̴ ̷t̸o̴ ̶r̷a̷i̴n̵ ̴o̴n̷ ̷t̷h̷a̸t̷,̵ ̸b̴e̸i̴n̸g̵ ̵a̴n̶ ̶e̵s̶p̶i̸o̸n̶a̶g̸e̸ ̶g̸o̵d̶ ̵a̶n̷d̸ ̶w̸h̷a̴t̴e̷v̴e̶r̴.̶ ̷B̷u̶t̶,̵ ̴I̸ ̸k̵n̴o̴w̷ ̶w̴h̶e̸r̴e̸ ̵t̶h̶e̴ ̶r̴o̷o̵m̴ ̸i̷s̴.̷ ̵I̵ ̷a̴c̶c̶e̸p̴t̷ ̶p̴a̸y̵m̷e̴n̶t̸ ̵i̴n̶ ̵c̵o̸m̴m̵u̷n̶i̶o̸n̵ ̸w̸a̴f̸e̶r̴s̵,̵ ̵h̷e̸a̶d̷s̵ ̵o̶f̴ ̵l̷e̷t̸t̶u̶c̵e̶,̴ ̸a̴n̸d̸ ̷S̸h̷a̶r̶p̵e̴d̶o̵ ̵p̸l̶u̸s̴h̴i̶e̷s̶.̸ ̴

Odette rapidly shook her head once more, before meeting Mitch's gaze again.

"I need my phone back," she said. She took it as it was handed back to her. She then looked down at Enora. "Odile found the room. She couldn't find Orzo, but Clink's healed."

She rapidly typed out another text as Odile relayed a bit more info to her.

 

[Negrek]

"The power of fucking friendship, then," Nate said, smiling faintly as he gave his head another shake. It was true that close interactions with humans tended to augment pokémon's abilities in strange ways, like mega evolution and all that shit. Infinity energy blah blah something something, it wasn't like he was a fucking scientist. But the way people banged on about friendship specifically--all right, he could feel a rant simmering in there somewhere. No time for that now. Nate took another shot of espresso to stop himself from making a comment. This was seriously not what he was here for.

Fortunately Odette moved on to other matters soon enough. Nate nodded while he listened to her spin out theories about why the hoopa might have brought them to the island before starting to pick people off, thinking hard. "Yeah, fair point; we only got to bring one or two mons with us, and I reckon most people had access to more firepower where they came from. So they'd be weaker here. And getting everybody together would sure be convenient... maybe give you a chance to see what they were really made of, too. But I dunno, we're individually less powerful here, but all of us together is a lot to be worried about... Well, what the fuck ever. Can't do more than guess at this point."

Something was definitely niggling at him, though. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Odette had a good point about their relative power level in this world, after all, and once she relayed Jirachi's theory about the Golden King, and shiny hoopa, things started to make a lot more sense. But after Nate automatically reached out to take the proffered phone, he froze. What was she expecting him to do with this? He knew of some really high-end navs that had like color screens and shit, but he'd sure as hell never used one. The espressos weren't helping, either; more than anything he was worried he'd drop the damn thing and break it.

And drop the phone was exactly what he did when Odette screamed. The shiny sylveon darted out from under the table, and Mightyena surged up to a seated position, though she didn't make it farther than that. Wes excused himself and hustled his gagging espeon out of the cafe, and Nate found himself left in a daze, saying, "Yeah, sure, I can..." to empty air. Well, shit. After that whirlwind of action, Nate was left feeling like he didn't quite know what was going on, and with all the caffeine things were feeling kind of... buzzy.

At least Odette was preoccupied with her... telepathic demon conversation? Apparently? Maybe she hadn't noticed the phone thing. Nate picked the device back up carefully. It still lit up. Screen didn't look cracked. Hopefully it was fine.

That left him without much to do until Odette finished her conversation, though. He petted Mightyena, who seemed just as confused as he was but who was at least in easy reach now. "So this is just normal for you, huh?" he asked Odette's sylveon.

Then, just as quickly as she'd tuned out, Odette was back. Nate passed her phone across the table brow furrowed. "No hoopa, huh? Guess that makes sense. With those rings who knows where the fuck he'd be at at any given time. So what's the plan? Stake the place out and wait for him to show?"

 

[Sinderella]

"So this is just normal for you, huh?" he asked Odette's sylveon.

Enora huffed. "A little bit, yes. Except the rest of our team isn't here to make it worse."

She returned her attention to Odette, eyeing her intently, as if waiting for some other outburst.

"Compared to what usually happens in our world, this is rather tame, if I'm being truthful."

"No hoopa, huh? Guess that makes sense. With those rings who knows where the fuck he'd be at at any given time. So what's the plan? Stake the place out and wait for him to show?"

Odette finished with her text message before pocketing her phone again. "I just alerted the chat, as much as I really didn't want to. We have a lot of people in our group who, for lack of a better phrase, don't know what fucking inside voices are," she complained. "I've advised that nobody go near the room until we can meet and discuss . Would also rather not, but, being on the same page is better than running in guns blazing. And if this fucker is after all of us, more man and 'mon power might be more helpful in general."

She reached down and began to scratch Enora behind her ear, almost mindlessly. "I'll probably suggest a meeting later in the day, or tonight in the dorms. For now, I think we just need to be on stand by."

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