Poppin' Arms ~ Dorms

[Cresselia92]

"Overworking is not merely physical," Wishkeeper said, nodding. "It's clear to me that most of your exhaustion has been mental. If you want my opinion... you should stay resting here with someone you like talking to. Maybe I can get an easy board game to play."

"Oh, I'd love to..." muttered Icetales, "but my good teammates are busy at the moment. Though, I always fancy a pleasant chatter with anyone, really."

Cal crossed her arms. "I... sort of feel like something's bothering you, too," she said. "Everything alright?"

Icetales winced. What was he supposed to answer? "Well, the thing is--"

"Grandfather is constantly annoying him," replied Petram all too candidly. "Always had."

And just like that, Icetales felt himself like sinking, deep into a vortex of panic. If his body was more reactive, he surely would have run out of the room in that instant.

'Heavens! For the stars! No! What did... how did... why did...?!'

"Petram!" cried out the scared Vulpix, his tails wrapped around his body. "Thou... were not supposed to say that!"

"...I wasn't?" Petram tilted his head in confusion, before glancing at the others. "...Oopies! I did a bad! Huh... Snap! Um..." He began waving his tails like a set of pendulums. "I said nooothing... you are forgetting everything nooow..."

Icetales stared at the Shade in disbelief. The bluntness... the childish apology... the awkward way to fix stuff... all of that was all too familiar. And then, he realized.

'...Firetales? Did he really take after...?' He blinked, then he buried his head under his paws. 'That's it. I'm doomed. Souls and stars, whisk me away!'

 

[Namohysip]

Wishkeeper hummed. "I see... Is your Shadow a manifestation of your grandfather?"

Owen, floating behind Wishkeeper, seemed concerned as well, and Wishkeeper said for him, "I'm guessing he's less friendly than what Owen's turned out to be."

Yet despite how much Icetales had tried to hide it, there didn't seem to be a hint of judgement on any of their expressions. If anything, they seemed concerned.

"Might react to stress," Cal theorized. "Maybe just getting overworked caused everything else to get worse, too, y'know?"

 

[Cresselia92]

“A Shadow…”

Despite the mild protests from his body, Icetales sat down. The secret was in the open, there was no point in dancing around it anymore. If all, it was about time that he could open up to someone about that crushing weight.

“In a sense, he is a shadow, yes… a phantom that has been affecting me since I abandoned home…” His eyes narrowed. “And the responsible of that… is none other than Ninetales Keo’Keo the Magnificent, my father. Which, well, he is Petram’s grandfather, in a sense?”

Icetales glanced around the room, and sure enough he found him: Father was sitting besides the bed, flashing a spectral sinister smirk and a malevolent aura surrounding his tails. The ghostly parent was beckoning to continue, to sink himself even further, to reveal more of their nature.

“…Always with his breath behind my neck, always ready to punish me for every single mistake, no matter how minor.” He shuddered. “Those Tail Slaps! Oh, those horrible, horrible Tail Slaps! I can still hear the noises of mine own bones cracking!”

“Daddy, it’s okay! He’s not here!” said Petram reassuringly, before growling at the empty air. “Those ghosts can’t hurt you, and you know that.”

“…Perhaps not physically, but my mind? Damaged goods. And whenever I… feel the pressure, I see him!” His mouth twisted into a snarl. “I see… him! Mocking me, cackling whenever I fail, relishing in my misery, and,” he hung his head in shame, “forcing me to… overexert myself… in hopes of fulfilling impossible standards…”

 

[Namohysip]

"Hmph. Damaged. Who isn't damaged?" Wishkeeper shrugged, but Owen gave him a glare from over the shoulder. Wishkeeper sighed and his tone softened. "What your Shade said is true, if you ask me. It isn't true. It's a Shadow trying to lie to you. The worst you can do is give it power by listening. It isn't like me, who is a perfectly well-behaved Shadow."

Owen pat Wishkeeper on the head. He ignored it.

"If you need someone to talk to about it, you can ask me. Both of 'me,' I guess, since Owen's probably better at it. This side of him, myself, was... not as good with social skills."

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales nodded. "Yes, I... would appreciate some kindred soul to listen to my plight. I cannot deny that." He frowned and rubbed his forepaws. "However, I... well, I am not too keen at the idea of dropping my issues on others, thou see? It is," he looked away, "not in my nature."

He lifted his paw. "...And yes, I know. Thou art going to say there is no harm in supporting each other. That we all have our issues and we all are ready to lend a helping paw to each other. This much... I am aware of."

"Then what's the problem?" asked Petram.

"...My desire to prove to not be a hindrance to the cortege. To be... someone others could rely on, like a buoy in the middle of a sea." He sighed. "This is... all I desire."

 

[Namohysip]

"Support is not a zero-sum game," Wishkeeper said as Owen drifted to Icetales' side. "One can help another while being helped by that same person in another. Weaknesses are covered by the strengths of others and it's easier for them than if they did it on their own." He shrugged. "I'm sure that party you threw more than makes up for any support you would want from the team later."

He stood up. "I'm going to get you some food and a board game. Which ones do you want?" He phrased it and then walked toward the door in such a way that Icetales could only reply with what he wanted, and not to deny it.

 

[Cresselia92]

"...Some cooked fish would suffice, I would say. Nothing better than some protein to restore my strength. I still have some tea in my bag, so--"

And then, a low rumble resonated in the room. Icetales took a deep shade of blue on his cheeks while Petram giggled in amusement.

"Oh boy, oh boy! Daddy's hungry, it seems~!" chirped the amused Shade, beaming a ghoulish smirk.

"...Golly! Only now I realize the dire need of some nourishment," said Icetales, before chuckling nervously. "Um... perhaps add some berries, yes? Pechas are fine. And board games, huh..." He shrugged. "I do not have any preference. Pick whatever thou desire, yes?"

"Yippee! Cafeteria, here I come!" shouted Petram, before bolting out of the room while giggling like a jollymon.

"P-Petram?!" He glanced at the disappearing Shade and sighed. "Well, nobody said that the job of a father is easy, ah ha ha! Anyway," he turned to Wishkeeper and Cal and beamed a grateful smile, while his tails swayed gently, "I... appreciate your help. Truly, it means the world for me. I shall... wait for your return, yes? And then we can spend a good-natured moment of relax. As... friends."

 

[Namohysip]

Wishkeeper smiled, and then Owen said something to him. He nodded, and then the shadowy Charmander disappeared, and the Charmeleon's countenance seemed to change to something more casual.

"Okay, I'll be right back, Icetales!" Owen waved back, then ran with Cal.

And so, they left, making sure to return to spend some quality time with Icetales so he could properly relax with good company.

<><><>​

 

[Persephone]

Cuicatl would be staring into the wall if she could stare at things. As it was her head was drooped down on the floor, her belly splayed out behind it. Getting her brain broken sounded a lot less terrifying when it wasn’t about to happen now.

“I’m nervous,” she muttered to Starr or the gods or no one. She wasn’t sure. “It’s going to hurt, but I don’t know how much.”

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr had heard about what happened, but that still didn't compare to seeing it firsthand. It was... really creepy seeing that second head just... hanging there. Lifeless. Somehow, commenting on it didn't seem like the best thing, though. She sat down next to the Zweilous, hoping that her presence could at least help... somehow.

"So, uh... what exactly are they planning to do again?"

 

[Persephone]

“I think they’re going to break my mind in two minds. One part will be in the other head. They’ll merge again when I evolve. I think? Can’t quite remember all the details.”

 

[Namohysip]

Someone was nearby. It was likely something that Cuicatl and Starr would both be able to sense, though for different reasons--Starr, for not being Dark, and Cuicatl, for her latent psionics slowly returning, one way or another.

Sliding toward the hall, practically gliding like walking was optional, was a Hatterene. She knew just where to go and who to see, and following behind her was the same Xatu from before, Wheat.

"Hello," Hatterene said, nodding. She forgot to smile, and her accent was thick, suggesting she was perhaps from the Sand Continent's deeper towns. "I am Breaker. I am here for Cuicatl, the Zweilous, to split mind."

"She is ready if you are," Wheat added. "This process should not take long, so long as you are able to relax."

"Typically, easier said than done," Breaker said. "Is frightening to patient. But is no problem."

 

[Chibi Pika]

“I think they’re going to break my mind in two minds. One part will be in the other head. They’ll merge again when I evolve. I think? Can’t quite remember all the details.”

Oh, god. That was way worse than the vague impression that she'd already gotten. Yeah, Starr couldn't say she'd be feeling any better in Cuicatl's position.

The... psychic operator (what did you even call that position) showed up before too long. Apparently the procedure was supposed to be pretty quick/simple. (Simple to break someone's mind in half??) But Cuicatl was already stressed enough, so Starr didn't really wanna add to that.

She forced a smile. "Hey, you'll be fine. It'll all work out, and then you can kick ass at being a dragon twice as hard."

 

[Persephone]

“Yeah, mind splitting does sound a little frightening. I can, um... just let me...”

She started to hum. Her new vocal cords were bizarre enough that she couldn’t properly sing, but she could at least do that. Sort of. She got lost in the song as much as she could until she wasn’t quite as terrified anymore.

“Thanks, Starr,” she whispered.”I’m ready.”

 

[Namohysip]

"You shall be awake. I am going to ask questions. You answer, but think. Think hard. It will help."

Wheat stood by. "I will be observing," he said, "and providing assistance if needed."

"Will be abstract questions. But will help. First question. What is something that gives conflict, internal? You go to restaurant. Soup or salad. Cannot choose."

Already, Braker was bringing one of her hair-like hands toward the active head. her large eyes focused on the very center of Cuicatl's forehead. Wheat stood like a piece of furniture.

 

[Persephone]

“Um.” Oh, gods. Why did the first question have to be about food choice... and why did Starr have to be here? She had to answer honestly or else her brain would be even more broken, but... ugh. Why why why why. “If I deserve one or not.”

 

[Namohysip]

Wheat looked toward Cuicatl once, but remained silent.

"You are walking down a road. Envision this. Ahead of you, two scents, Two desirable ones. One left, one right. Which way do you go?" The psychic power was starting to intensify, but, surprisingly, it did not seem to hurt. "...You may smell smoke. Is normal. Sometimes, it is like pine trees."

 

[Persephone]

Left or right? It was almost a let down after the intensity of the last question. “Right, I guess.” She had been right handed when she had hands. There wasn’t more to it than that.

 

[Namohysip]

"Hmm..." Breaker continued, and at this point she seemed to be in much deeper concentration. Whatever she was finding in there, it must have been more difficult to navigate than usual. Wheat seemed interested, though that was only indicated by his slow head turn.

"I am searching for key," Breaker said. "There is place where Zweilous split. It is near. More guiding. Who is favorite teammate? Are there two that are good?"

 

[Persephone]

“Here? Then Astrid and,” she did have to say Starr, didn’t she? She was the one who agreed to be here during this shit. “Starr.”