Mist Continent ~ Swanna Inn

[Namohysip]

Post Town had been largely untouched by the Blacklight crisis, and most of the residents considered that to be a great relief. Swanna Inn had grown only modestly since the Bittercold Omen, accounting for the larger population and the nearby and prosperous Paradise next to town. While it was much simpler compared to Destiny Village, the simple menu was tried and true, and the ingredients were all fresh and often prepared right behind the bar.

Wooden tables and stools accounted for most of the seating arrangements, while a stairway to the upper floor led to a series of simple rooms with beds for resting and weary travelers. All in all, it was a homely, down-to-earth place for wandering souls and hard-working rescuers to have some respite.

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[Chibi Pika]

After the investigation with Nate and Maple, Starr made her way to Post Town, which right by the Paradise where Maple had originally teleported them. Her body was filled with a combination of dead exhaustion and wired, anxious energy, and she was desperate for anything to calm her nerves. They had a restaurant here? Sure, why not. Something different from the usual faire in Destiny Village.

The restaurant was on the first floor of the local Inn. It was a pretty quaint-looking place, but that didn't mean the food couldn't be good. She ordered something stupid and indulgent and then went and found a seat to recline in, massaging her eyes.

Soon. They'd have a plan for getting the other back soon. Just had to keep herself going until then.

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv felt overwhelmed.

They sipped from a glass of water, while Cynthian's rose lay next to it on the table.

Half of the team was gone, just like that. And despite their efforts, they couldn't do anything to help.

At least they had Shiron with them.

They turned around, and saw an Incineroar nearby. Starr, maybe. They didn't know her well enough to tell, but they should probably greet them anyways.

"Hi!" they said, a forced smile on their face as they waved their leaf.

 

[Navar]

Deep, ingrained feelings were hard to get rid of, as Shiron knew very well.

Even after talking with Saltriv and Puddle, his doubts and worries were still present.

And god, he was hungry, so besides hanging out with his friend, Shiron could get some food.

Maybe getting distracted would be good for him. Not thinking about the deaths, even if they were... alive, and only trapped.

He noticed an Incineroar. Was that Starr? Saltriv was talking to her, so might as well do the same.

"Hi..." Shiron faintly waved to her.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr's ear flicked toward a sudden noise. She turned to see two of her teammates--Saltriv and Shiron. A bit surprising to run into them here of all places.

"Hey. Something bring you two way out here? I was just here doing a thing with Nate and Maple." Not elaborating on that. She took a long gulp out of a huge mug of caramel hot chocolate. "Not that I can blame you for getting out of Destiny Village for the day. I like the city and all, but... depressing atmosphere ever since the Joule thing."

 

[IFBench]

"Yep," Saltriv said. "After what happened...the town just doesn't feel the same anymore."

They glanced towards the flower on the table. "I think I might be able to bring back Cynthian with their rose, but everyone else...they seem to be gone for good."

 

[Navar]

"I'm with Saltriv. Town's... it just looks depressing." Shiron rubbed his arm. "And... I've talked with Puddle, Vix's familiar. It said they're still alive, only stuck inside the Voidlands. Maybe... maybe we can bring everyone back!"

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Fucking mood, there," Starr muttered. She glanced at the rose that Saltriv was carrying. "But, uh... Puddle's right about one thing. We're... working on a way to get them back." She decided to leave out the part where it involved nabbing some energy from the Tree of Life, the one place that basically everyone was pretty damn invested in not letting Diyem anywhere near.

"I'm not gonna pretend like that makes it okay, them being in the fuckin, Voidlands or wherever." (It wasn't. Cabot, Owen, Brisa... who knew what kinda hell they were going through right now.) "It's just... it's something."

 

[IFBench]

Saltriv's eyes widened. "They're...they're really alive! That's grea-"

They cut off, as Shiron mentioned the Voidlands. A location they had never wanted to hear of again.

A place that they, and almost everyone in their world were once in, 6 years ago, when Dark Matter had threatened the world.

"We...we really need to get them out of there as soon as possible. They're not safe there," Saltriv said, a horrified look on their face.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr gave the Bayleef a sideways glance. Their expression wasn't just one of generic concern. There was recognition there.

"I said we're working on it, but..." Her claws gripped the wooden table, hard. "I take it you know what they're dealing with right now?"

She wasn't sure whether or not she was happier not knowing. It was easier to avoid thinking about it when it was just some vague, undefined misery. Nothing concrete, no weight to it like that.

 

[Navar]

Shiron forced a smile, rubbing his arm again. "I... I'm not exactly sure what they're dealing with right now. But from the looks of it, it's... it's not something good, right?"

 

[IFBench]

"Y-yep. It's not good at all," Saltriv said. "The Voidlands is Dark Matter's domain, and it's horrible. There's no sunlight, it's filled with really hostile mystery dungeons, and there's these things around that mimic your friends and family to try and get you to let your guard down so they can EAT you."

"...almost the entire population of my world was sent there during its attack on my world. Myself included," Saltriv finished, looking down.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr kept her face neutral, but her mouth had gone dry. In her mind, she saw flashes of the illusions--her friends--that she'd seen in the dungeon earlier, and her throat clenched up.

"...They'll be okay," she said firmly. "This time it's with a Dark Matter that's on their side. And... they're strong. They'll... they'll be okay."

She'd see them again. She'd see Brisa again. Nothing was allowed to get in the way of that.

 

[Navar]

Shiron bit his lip. Brooding or numbing his feelings wouldn't help them get the team back together. But to be fair, he didn't have any ideas in mind. "A-Alright. I'll take your word for it. I just worry about them. I hope they're okay there..."

 

[IFBench]

"...I hope so too, but...I have my doubts," Saltriv said. "And even if they do come back-"

Saltriv abruptly cut off, as a telepathic message ran through their head. They sighed.

"Well, guess we should go now. It was nice talking to you both." They paused, and then added, "After whatever Dark Matter wants now is done with, want to head back here and talk some more?"

 

[Navar]

Shiron looked up, trying to locate where the message came from. Apparently, it was telepathic, and so he shrugged. "That seems fine, Saltriv. Since we're gtting a call, it might be important. We'll meet up afterwards, then."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr nodded distantly. "If it's Diyem, it'll be important. You two go on ahead. I'll catch up later. Just gotta get in the right space."

She waved as the two left, then exhaled long and slow. Well, at least she had enough of a handle on herself to act like a person long enough to have a damn conversation. Some instincts from the old days were worth holding onto at least. Keeping up the mask when it felt like she was crumbling inside was one of them.

"Still got it," she mumbled to herself, taking a long, slow drink.

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[IFBench]

Saltriv trotted into the Swanna Inn, looking around. It felt like it'd been forever ago since they were here with Starr and Shiron, trying to figure out a way to bring their fallen teammates back.

So much had happened since then, they thought, as they looked at a cracked patch of the wall. The Tree of Life had been completely destroyed along with the rest of the Sea of Wonders. Half the world had been flooded due to Soda bringing the moon so close to the planet. So many Pokemon were still missing and unaccounted for.

And there was a whole other team of heroes who had done this all before.

It was a lot to take in.

"Here we are," they said, turning towards Dill.

 

[Sudmensch]

Dill's tail flicked as he ducked under the door, glancing around.

"Nice place, I guess," he nodded, tromping over to put his things on a bed.

 

[IFBench]

"Yep...though it's seen better days," they said, gazing at a small hole in the wall.

"...it's still hard to believe all that's happened."