Poppin' Arms ~ Dorms
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Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
“Elaborate.” It came out like a commander issuing an order to a subordinate.
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Owen frowned disapprovingly at Bahamut. Despite not claiming himself to be a god, he clearly treated himself like one...
And so once again, Owen brought his tail forward. "Back home, there's research into the nature of the world, and Pokemon are a distinct kingdom from the rest of how physics... is supposed to operate. You don't just conjure psychic waves, or conjure water from nothing, and don't even get me started about this tail constantly burning. All of that isn't something natural. Just because we're limited in what we can do doesn't mean we're still bending the rules of nature. An... acquaintance once told a friend of mine something."
Owen cleared his throat and then made his voice higher. Charizard mimicked Owen's motions, like they both agreed to parody this voice as much as possible. "'If you guys followed the law of conservation of energy, you'd all be dead or boring!'"
And so once again, Owen brought his tail forward. "Back home, there's research into the nature of the world, and Pokemon are a distinct kingdom from the rest of how physics... is supposed to operate. You don't just conjure psychic waves, or conjure water from nothing, and don't even get me started about this tail constantly burning. All of that isn't something natural. Just because we're limited in what we can do doesn't mean we're still bending the rules of nature. An... acquaintance once told a friend of mine something."
Owen cleared his throat and then made his voice higher. Charizard mimicked Owen's motions, like they both agreed to parody this voice as much as possible. "'If you guys followed the law of conservation of energy, you'd all be dead or boring!'"
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
"Maybe in your world. In the dimension Etherium dwells, pokémon rely on energy sources to manufacture their attacks," Bahamut said, offering the shadow charizard a disapproving look at its childish actions. Not helping his opinion that Owen was anything other than a kid who wanted to act like a grown-up. "Sunlight, electricity, the fuel they burn in food." He gestured to Owen's tail flame. "Your family's tail flame is a manifestation of excess thermal energy your produced from metabolism. Without it, a charmander's residual heat would insufflate their gut and they'd either float away into the stratosphere... or explode.
"And it's that exact system that's been slowly getting trampled on." Bahamut's eyes turned purple. "Successive generations of pokémon in Etherium's largest kingdom have gotten steadily weaker and weaker. Rather than working together, they've grown complacent and are content to let a small handful tell them all what to do with their lives."
"And it's that exact system that's been slowly getting trampled on." Bahamut's eyes turned purple. "Successive generations of pokémon in Etherium's largest kingdom have gotten steadily weaker and weaker. Rather than working together, they've grown complacent and are content to let a small handful tell them all what to do with their lives."
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"How much energy does the food you guys eat have over there?" Owen said, squinting. "Having a personal fire constantly burning wastes... way too much energy. You only get so much from metabolizing food, y'know?" He frowned, looking pensive. "Different worlds, sure. But as far as I can tell, Pokemon are all little gods." But then, looking Bahamut over, he said, "And no matter what you try to classify things, I think behavior is what matters more than anything, and... You kind of carry yourself like one sometimes, anyway."
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
"You're overgeneralizing. When I say violating the laws of nature, I mean things like manipulating time and space. Ignoring the aging process." Bahamut waved his right arm. "Being able to create continents or oceans from nothing. Unless you're claiming you're capable of feats like that, you're not a god." He looked at the wall, scowling. "I've come across a few people like that before coming to this world. And they all have one thing in common: they perished along with the planets they claimed to look after. Eternatus probably destroyed them."
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Like you almost did? Owen thought to himself, though he knew not to say it out loud. He was starting to gain an understanding of how Bahamut thought, and he didn't like what he was seeing. "Then your idea of a god also means they need to be powerful. They can't just Teleport or manipulate time with Trick Room. They have to do more. Right? It's not the type of power, but the amount of power, and how they use it?"
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
"Exactly." He paused and looked wistfully out a window. "Hmm... now that you mention it, it's been ages since I've even heard the phrase 'Trick Room' brought up in conversation. I can use the technique, though it's quite exhausting. But I would not be surprised if it's died out on Etherium. I'd say there are numerous moves that have faded into the history books or been lost to time all together."
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Owen glanced at his Shadow, who nodded in reply and made a sighing motion.
"Right, okay," Owen said softly. He hated confrontation like this, but if they were going to work as a team, he still had to come to a mutual understanding with Bahamut. Not an argument, but at least an understanding. "There's something I don't get, Bahamut. If being a god is about having power and how they treat it, I don't see how you aren't a god. From what you told me, and from what I heard from others..."
He looked at Bahamut's huge paws. "You considered yourself a protector of that world. You are watching over it like a guardian, and you said you failed to do that. It's... a huge burden to bear. And even then"--his flame sparked, but he tried to quell its inferno--"you made decisions on the fates of entire species, their power, whether they got to live or die. You are thousands of years old. You carry yourself like you're above every other person here, calling them child, speaking to them like they're obligated to answer you.
"Bahamut... even if you don't call yourself a god... you're playing one. Why?"
"Right, okay," Owen said softly. He hated confrontation like this, but if they were going to work as a team, he still had to come to a mutual understanding with Bahamut. Not an argument, but at least an understanding. "There's something I don't get, Bahamut. If being a god is about having power and how they treat it, I don't see how you aren't a god. From what you told me, and from what I heard from others..."
He looked at Bahamut's huge paws. "You considered yourself a protector of that world. You are watching over it like a guardian, and you said you failed to do that. It's... a huge burden to bear. And even then"--his flame sparked, but he tried to quell its inferno--"you made decisions on the fates of entire species, their power, whether they got to live or die. You are thousands of years old. You carry yourself like you're above every other person here, calling them child, speaking to them like they're obligated to answer you.
"Bahamut... even if you don't call yourself a god... you're playing one. Why?"
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
His eyes and brain prism dimmed. "Because after living through a millennia of broken futility, it's frustrating to see so many of our allies gallivanting around and getting themselves into trouble when we may very well be the only thing that can prevent this world's untimely demise."
Bahamut turned and stared at one of the desks. "You speak of things I did tens of thousands of years ago. When I didn't know any better. When I—" He stopped himself short. His tail lashed out, spearing a nearby chair like it was a piece of steak. "When I just wanted to have friends."
He cleared his throat. "When I was 'born,' I went around looking for planets that had life. And every one I ran into, it was always the same: either the people there were frightened of me, or they wanted to use me as some sort of tool." There was a brief red flicker from his core. "And even when I could find people who were nice — who seemed like friend material — circumstances would still lead me to flee the planet in terror. It was the same routine over... and over... and over and over and over and over and over.
"Until I came upon a planet that had havoc wreaked upon it, yet showed signs there had been life there at some point. So, I tried to fix it. I used what was left of the oceans. I used my light. And I waited. And waited. And waited." His arms twitched against his back like the hands of a clock. "Waited for life to evolve the natural way. From simple, primordial creatures to the pokémon we're all familiar with. And finally... finally I had company.
"But some species couldn't control themselves," Bahamut growled. "They made life miserable for others. And I knew about Eternatus by then. I'd seen it with my own eyes. Knew what it was capable of. How it was drawn to planets fraught with conflict and strife. I didn't want to lose the friends I made."
His eyes dimmed again. "So, I did what I had to do so I wouldn't be alone again."
Bahamut turned and stared at one of the desks. "You speak of things I did tens of thousands of years ago. When I didn't know any better. When I—" He stopped himself short. His tail lashed out, spearing a nearby chair like it was a piece of steak. "When I just wanted to have friends."
He cleared his throat. "When I was 'born,' I went around looking for planets that had life. And every one I ran into, it was always the same: either the people there were frightened of me, or they wanted to use me as some sort of tool." There was a brief red flicker from his core. "And even when I could find people who were nice — who seemed like friend material — circumstances would still lead me to flee the planet in terror. It was the same routine over... and over... and over and over and over and over and over.
"Until I came upon a planet that had havoc wreaked upon it, yet showed signs there had been life there at some point. So, I tried to fix it. I used what was left of the oceans. I used my light. And I waited. And waited. And waited." His arms twitched against his back like the hands of a clock. "Waited for life to evolve the natural way. From simple, primordial creatures to the pokémon we're all familiar with. And finally... finally I had company.
"But some species couldn't control themselves," Bahamut growled. "They made life miserable for others. And I knew about Eternatus by then. I'd seen it with my own eyes. Knew what it was capable of. How it was drawn to planets fraught with conflict and strife. I didn't want to lose the friends I made."
His eyes dimmed again. "So, I did what I had to do so I wouldn't be alone again."
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Silence fell upon the room. Charizard stared at one of the chairs, silently lamenting that they were probably going to have to trouble someone to get it replaced.
So Bahamut was a god who wanted friends. Owen's flame dimmed, whatever ire he had felt washing away into something between pity and sympathy.
And Bahamut had failed to save that world again, according to him. Or perhaps, there was something else that got in the way that caused it to happen anyway... Owen was supremely glad he hadn't said that inside thought aloud before. Bahamut didn't deserve that.
"...No matter how short our stay here might be for you," Owen said softly, "you can still have friends for a little while. And if you forget, then no harm done while you're here. You won't miss it, after all. I... know a thing or two about losing friends to time. Drifting apart or, you know, the whole lifespan thing. But... it's kind of hard to make friends if you keep speaking like you're above them." Owen still knew how he felt, though--and he agreed. Training and sparring were fun, but he had to balance that with productive things that they could do. "There isn't a whole lot we can do sometimes. God Squad doesn't trust us enough to spearhead scouting missions, for one... And I don't think behavior is the only thing contributing to that."
So Bahamut was a god who wanted friends. Owen's flame dimmed, whatever ire he had felt washing away into something between pity and sympathy.
And Bahamut had failed to save that world again, according to him. Or perhaps, there was something else that got in the way that caused it to happen anyway... Owen was supremely glad he hadn't said that inside thought aloud before. Bahamut didn't deserve that.
"...No matter how short our stay here might be for you," Owen said softly, "you can still have friends for a little while. And if you forget, then no harm done while you're here. You won't miss it, after all. I... know a thing or two about losing friends to time. Drifting apart or, you know, the whole lifespan thing. But... it's kind of hard to make friends if you keep speaking like you're above them." Owen still knew how he felt, though--and he agreed. Training and sparring were fun, but he had to balance that with productive things that they could do. "There isn't a whole lot we can do sometimes. God Squad doesn't trust us enough to spearhead scouting missions, for one... And I don't think behavior is the only thing contributing to that."
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
"I'm not above any of you. I'm beneath all of you." Bahamut lowered his head. "I should be dead. Eternatus should've killed me. And if it hadn't shown up, I was getting to the end of my days." He frowned. "Stars age. Our light grows dimmer. Weaker. Until eventually, we explode in one final blaze of light. It was coming. I could feel it.
"But Eternatus... everything about it defies the cosmos. It struck me with some sort of attack. I lost my light, but instead of perishing, I reminded alive in some sort of broken, unaging state."
He winced. "I thought I could keep people focused, but it appears I... erred in my approach. It's... regrettable."
"But Eternatus... everything about it defies the cosmos. It struck me with some sort of attack. I lost my light, but instead of perishing, I reminded alive in some sort of broken, unaging state."
He winced. "I thought I could keep people focused, but it appears I... erred in my approach. It's... regrettable."
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"I guess so," Owen replied skeptically. "But I dunno, I guess I got the wrong impression. You, uh, well, I don't really think you should be beneath any of us, either, but... some of that kinda... radiates out and it feels like you disregard what everyone else is saying. That's where it comes from, y'know? But... Keeping everyone focused is harder." Owen poked his claws together.
"Everyone seems more interested in making friends and infighting than focusing on finding Shades or scouting strange locations. But a lot of them are also trying to become stronger--that's their main focus. I know a few of them have been productive about that. Just because I like battling doesn't mean I can't be productive about it. We're still weak. I don't know how much we can do on our own when we don't have God Squad backing us up."
"Everyone seems more interested in making friends and infighting than focusing on finding Shades or scouting strange locations. But a lot of them are also trying to become stronger--that's their main focus. I know a few of them have been productive about that. Just because I like battling doesn't mean I can't be productive about it. We're still weak. I don't know how much we can do on our own when we don't have God Squad backing us up."
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
"Well, they've been helpful for intel and travel arrangements, but as far as the fights have gone it's been... solely our handiwork." Bahamut shrugged. He was going to dodge the battling issue entirely. It was just going to have be some bizarre interdimensional culture gap that he'd struggle to get over. "I think your real concern ought to be how much we can do on our own when we don't have Diyem backing us up. He is the source of our powers, after all."
He licked a forepaw and again brushed his cheek. "I mean, he might be sitting pretty in his own realm, but anything can happen." Bahamut paused. "Darkwhite's been suspiciously quiet since I gave her the cold shoulder. Didn't even show up to throw a temper tantrum about her machine getting wrecked. For all we know, she could be sending someone to Diyem's realm as we speak."
He licked a forepaw and again brushed his cheek. "I mean, he might be sitting pretty in his own realm, but anything can happen." Bahamut paused. "Darkwhite's been suspiciously quiet since I gave her the cold shoulder. Didn't even show up to throw a temper tantrum about her machine getting wrecked. For all we know, she could be sending someone to Diyem's realm as we speak."
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"I doubt it," Owen said, frowning. "The whole reason Diyem sent us in the first place was because he wouldn't have been able to get here on time. But, mm... Well..." No, he couldn't really theorize further there. "About that, actually... Are we sure Darkwhite was the one who made that machine? She doesn't seem... that... smart, to have made one. And it was human technology, right?"
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
"Was it? I didn't go and inspect what Chip had gathered," Bahamut said. "I guess the ones who did reported to you."
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"I heard about it, yeah," Owen said. "I don't really know what I can say for Cosmog, though. And I don't really..." he trailed off. "Well, I don't know if I'll have a lot I can provide that's useful right now for that whole thing. But I'm starting to wonder what Darkwhite's... deal is. Like, did she make human technology? Is she a human, too?"
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
Bahamut shrugged. "Not a clue. And it's a subject that's hard to investigate. Though, if I could offer any advice, ignoring her seems to make her let slip things she doesn't intend to." He clicked his tongue. "At least, that's how I got her to bring up the machine and the infected village."
Ambyssin
Gotta go back. Back to the past.
"She was right there," Bahamut said, not batting an eye. "You can ask Pine, Nanab, Seyka, and Cynthian if you don't believe me. They were all there, too."
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