"Yes. I... steal aura to grow stronger." A note of hesitancy entered the voice's tone. Almost as if it was afraid to reveal the source of its power. Perhaps afraid of judgement.
Strange. She'd have initially assumed that Marshadow would go after her and her 'mon's friendship bond, like everyone and their mothers did on this island. To meet a mythic who didn't was as refreshing as it was unnerving, solely because of the type of aura they took.
Still, nothing about it struck her as odd. Somehow, it actually made sense. Her longest partner stole her damn blood for power, so what was some aura?
"No, not recount. I must take your aura, for a time. It will allows me to copy your moves and strength."
The voice paused. "Doing so will... reawaken memories. Memories are a part of your aura, and help me get stronger. That is my price."
Reawakening memories, though. What exactly did that entail? It's not like she
forgot how she's killed people. Granted, she couldn't remember most of their faces because most of them were covered. Well, except, for
one, and that one was...
"̴R̶.̵.̷.̴r̷e̴a̸w̴a̵k̸e̶n̴ ̷h̸o̵w̴?̷"̷ Odile queried. She'd begun to wring her hands together. All of her previous smugness was now gone, because something about the wager didn't sit right with her.
"̴L̶i̶k̷e̷.̷.̴.̶h̶y̶p̸o̵t̵h̸e̵t̴i̵c̷a̶l̸l̴y̶ ̷s̸p̶e̷a̷k̷i̸n̸g̷,̵ ̴w̵h̷a̸t̶ ̵i̴f̷ ̴a̶ ̶P̴o̷k̵e̸m̸o̷n̷ ̷w̵a̵s̸ ̶s̶u̷p̴p̸r̵e̶s̵s̴i̴n̸g̵ ̴c̸e̵r̸t̴a̵i̴n̷ ̵m̸e̷m̶o̶r̸i̷e̸s̵ ̸f̴o̷r̶ ̷h̵e̷r̸,̴ ̷w̸o̶u̴l̵d̸ ̷t̵h̶o̶s̸e̴ ̷g̵e̷t̵ ̵t̶i̷c̷k̸l̴e̸d̴?̶"̸ ̴
Odette sent a surprised look Odile's way, and without thinking, she grabbed her by the forearm. "I don't think it can tickle something that wasn't there to begin with," she said in a borderline whisper.
"̵M̸a̵y̸b̴e̷ ̶n̷o̴t̴ ̵i̷n̵ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̴ ̶b̷r̴a̶i̸n̷,̵ ̸n̵o̷.̵ ̸B̴u̵t̷ ̸i̸t̷'̶s̴ ̶s̸t̶i̴l̸l̸ ̵y̷o̸u̶r̸ ̸b̵o̶d̵y̶,̸ ̸a̷n̵d̷ ̴y̵o̶u̵r̷ ̷b̸o̷d̶y̵ ̶m̷i̵g̴h̶t̶ ̴r̷e̸m̵e̶m̶b̶e̸r̸.̸"̵ She spoke in an equally lowered voice. She normally struggled with an inside voice, but it came on naturally with the rolling durians she was feeling.
"̷N̵o̵t̴ ̴t̷h̶a̴t̶ ̶y̵o̴u̸ ̵d̸o̶n̵'̸t̷ ̶k̶n̶o̷w̸ ̴t̴h̴a̷t̵,̷ ̷b̸u̵t̸ ̶i̶t̴ ̷m̴i̶g̴h̴t̸ ̷b̵e̶ ̶a̷ ̸l̸o̷t̶ ̵t̵o̴ ̴t̶a̸k̵e̸,̶ ̶s̸o̸ ̶I̴'̶m̶ ̷v̴e̴r̶y̸ ̷w̶o̶r̸r̷i̵e̸d̶.̸"̷
Now, the only light in the room seemed to be over them. "And your aura is bloody because of your link to them. The one with the ancient aura."
Odile didn't have time to be smug anymore; not when
her head was spinning. Of course she knew Odette had never really forgotten anything--Odette didn't forget things like that easily--but Odile had made sure that
that specific
thing had been as fuzzy as humanly possible. The aftermath had been as bad as it was even with her aid, but what if, even years later, that could be undone with a simple wager?
"̶I̶ ̵k̴n̷o̵w̷ ̶y̶o̵u̶ ̸w̴a̶n̷t̸ ̸h̶e̴l̷p̶ ̶a̴n̴d̸ ̸I̸ ̴w̸a̵n̵t̶ ̵t̷o̶ ̶g̴e̷t̶ ̴o̸f̵f̵ ̶t̴h̶i̴s̷ ̶i̶s̴l̸a̶n̷d̴ ̵a̶s̶ ̸m̷u̶c̵h̶ ̴a̴s̷ ̸y̷o̴u̷ ̶d̸o̵,̵ ̶b̷u̶t̶ ̸p̶l̸e̷a̸s̷e̴ ̷b̷e̷ ̴c̶a̶r̶e̸f̶u̷l̴.̴"̵
For all she knew, it would be fine. That trauma brain thing Odette had going on already made her relive things when she didn't want to. It was just that one
thing that she was worried about...
As Odile spoke, Enora began to rub herself against Odette's leg, before sitting directly at her feet. She was unsure of what to feel, but listening to Odile's questions might have sent her just a bit over the edge. It wasn't like any of those memories were dormant--quite the opposite really--but just what exactly did it entail? How would it manifest? This seemed like a lot to put on the line, at least for them. Her. Even in exchange for a mythic's help. They weren't even quite sure how Marshadow would even assist. They'd been so cryptic so far...
"I'll stand by your decision," she said. Not like there was any point in trying to convince her to not. Chances are, Odette had already decided her next move.
"But please think carefully about this."
The shadows receded slighty and far at the back of the arena a small shape could be seen, no more than a couple feet high. A gray wispy body and two reddish orange eyes, like embers. "I promise to aid you, if you lend me your strength. You will not be without it forever, only a brief time.... Do you accept?"
All things to consider. No, none of those memories had ever truly left. And one wasn't even really hers to begin with. There was nothing to reawaken in that regard...except, maybe the aftermath. But she never forgot that in the first place. And if it was a surefire thing that Marshadow would aid them, what was momentarily exacerbating things that would never go away anyway? If it meant, in any way, protection for her team, or even the friends she'd made while here, it seemed worth it.
And, unlike most, she trusted ghost types. Most of the time. However, Marshadow, being among a lot of mythics that had already been so helpful, already had a good edge here. And a ghost type aid would be invaluable if this motherfucker at large was a partial ghost type as well; whatever that aid was.
Odette nodded once toward her 'mon partners. "This most likely won't be anything I haven't already dealt with. And if it means extra help, we're in no position to say no at this point. All hands on deck, even if..." she exhaled softly, "...yeah."
As Marshadow finally took form in the corner of the room, Odette eyed them closely. Just as cute as she'd read of it. She might have started to swoon a little if the atmosphere around them weren't already so tense.
"I accept."
