Poppin' Arms Guild ~ Main Lobby

[Fusion]

"No, I mean... well yes for me ignorin' you, but also for snappin' at you in the infirmary..." Puddle sighed, it felt like apologies were always difficult, and it's only done two so far. Thinking about that, for some reason, caused its head to ache more.

"I... shouldn't have gotten so pissed off there, especially at you when you were mostly tryin' to help. I'm sorry."

"Yes, the irony of this whole role reversal isn't lost on me. Chalk it up to uncharted territory and a precarious predicament, I suppose."

It let out a light chuckle. "Yeah, funny how things got so... like this. I don't think anyone ever really thought you'd be the one vouching for saving someone... Well, no, Vix did. She stayed pretty adamant about you bein' the heroic type sooner or later. She's definitely happy about how different you turned out."

 

[Ambyssin]

A melancholy purple washed over Bahamut's eyes and rippled over his head. "I'm the one who told her to improvise in that battle. And look how that turned out." He shook his head. "I genuinely thought that, since it was his attack, Joule could be the key to reversing it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think they'd get sucked into Dark Matter."

Again, his head tendrils shriveled. His body dimmed. "That's... that's exactly what happens to those who come into contact with Eternatus in my universe. They are doomed to spend eternity trapped within it." He sighed. "At least it seems that Diyem wants to restore them. I just hope this tree really is as magical as people seem to think it is."

There was that word again. Hope. The Bahamut of the recent past would scoff at the idea of pinning such expectations on a tree.

 

[Fusion]

There was some of that "doom n' gloom" Bahamut was famous for.

Well, Vix did let her shadows get too high, which was... honestly Puddle's fault for not taking care of them better. Wow, that tiny revelation certainly stung. A lot. And there goes that goddamn headache to make shit worse.

"You can't seriously be blamin' yourself over what happened, right? Vix getting caught in Joule's attack ain't got anythin' to do with you," Puddle said, resting a hand on Bahamut's leg.

"Th-The tree of Life or whatever? This is the first I've heard of it, same with Vix, or at least whatever memories of hers I got," Puddle winced, rubbing its head. "I really hope it works too... I dunno what this Voidlands place is, but it sure as hell don't sound safe."

 

[Ambyssin]

"Well, if we're to take the name at face value, it's a big, empty space." Bahamut tapped a wing-claw against his beak. "So, the only thing they'd be at risk of is dying of boredom."

An awkward silence followed. "Yeah, my jokes don't land as well as Esper's."

 

[Fusion]

"You could ask him for pointers. Like not makin' a death joke so soon after a bunch of us died," Puddle deadpanned and tittered. "I might've found that... almost amusing? Maybe?"

Puddle sat down on the ground, its sizzle finally going away, unlike its headache. It rubbed the sides of its head, bubbling slightly. It didn't help but it also didn't hurt. "Uhgg... does bein' pissed usually lead to a massive fuckin' headache after? I haven't been able to think straight all day..."

 

[Ambyssin]

"It depends on the creature in question. I do not have brain, so I do not get headaches." Bahamut poked at less solid part of his head and it rippled like the surface of a pond. "I thought you shades would be in much the same boat. But, well, anger makes you tense. And tension can make a lot of body areas hurt. In ways Morning Sun cannot exactly help with."

 

[Fusion]

"Figured..." Puddle groaned. It still felt like it was forgetting something. Something important. It was a long shot, and honestly didn't make much sense, but maybe that was why its head was hurting? It's not like Puddle had any other ideas about what to do since magic was out of the question.

"Then I guess I'll have to try and walk it off. Thanks, Bahamut," it nodded, standing back up. It felt nice knowing that Bahamut wasn't upset with it, really. And now that most of its rage was gone, Puddle realized it might have to apologize to Joule at some point. Probably soon, but not too soon. The mere idea of it was enough to make Puddle sizzle again.

"I'll be off, I think. It might be good if someone got the rest of the team up to speed, and all that walkin' might help this goddamn headache of mine," Puddle gave Bahamut a wave and turned to leave, then stopped for a moment. It clenched its fists and took a deep breath, then exhaled.

A proper compliment, yes, that's how you ended conversations. "You're a helluva lot better than you think you are, Bahamut. You don't gotta be so hard on yourself all the time."

Puddle stood for a second or two more, then left the Guild.

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut waved farewell, then realized he had a massive pile of muddy towels that needed cleaning. He tried to levitate them but it didn’t work. He was still too tired.

Bahamut sighed and scooped up the towels with his wings.

<><><>​

 

[Disco]

It had never taken long at all for her to hear the latest news, given her pretty frequent trips into town. It was easy to see the effect that it had on the others. They had all evolved completely! But that was severely dampened by the toll all the fighting took on them, while trying to stay one step ahead of the ones determined to destroy Cibus.

...And then, half of them didn't return from the fight at all. It was a shock, because while she had chosen isolation, she still knew some of them. She'd fought with all of them.

And then suddenly, they just weren't there anymore.

The charmeleon mulled over this as she placed jars of berry and herb tea out for those that wanted it. It wouldn't do anything to take away the hurt, but it would at least keep any injuries dealt to a minimum. ...She wondered, if, perhaps, she should take up fighting again, instead of staying on the sidelines. With barely any of them left...

... She quietly glanced at the jars, then turned and headed to the infirmary, to deliver the more potent batch of salves she'd been developing...

Perhaps she'd have reason to use them on herself in the near future.

 

[Namohysip]

<><><>​

One night, lonelier and quieter than usual with the absence of so many of Team Spectrum, Shield stepped out of his dorms in a hurry, his aura sensors twitching upward like a canine hunting down a scent. With little care, he rushed through the halls and into the main Guild lobby, where the night guards gave him a curious look, but otherwise said nothing. They took mental notes of his movements regardless.

 

[Ambyssin]

Esper was bored. Everyone left was boring. All serious and emotional. He needed something interesting. Something exciting! Something... like a certain lucario on the prowl in the guild halls.

"Hey, good looking. What's cooking?" Esper swam in midair up to the lucario.

 

[RJR Basimilus]

Seyka wasn't particularly tired for once. Instead of wandering the town as usual, the Skarmory spent the day rooting around in the trash for doodads. He saw the Lucario running and decided to follow out of curiosity.

He stopped a little ways away from Shield. "Hiya," he said quietly, staring at the Lucario's aura sensors. "Is someone uh, sending you a message through those things?"

 

[Namohysip]

Cornered by two strange entities. Shield didn't know if this nighttime stroll was a nightmare or not.

"I--" Shield stopped, looking at Seyka, then at Esper. "I don't know," he said. "I'm just--I sensed someone. I need to see if it's true. I..." He shook his head. "I have to go, now. Excuse me." He was already making his way to the exit.

 

[RJR Basimilus]

The Skarmory shrugged, glancing at Esper. "I don't see any harm in us tagging along. I know that might sound unnecessary, but hey."

Seyka continued, "Besides- if you sensed someone, then wouldn't it be better to have eyewitnesses that could verify your account if you see something weird? I don't know about this guy, but I can appreciate the unknown."

 

[Ambyssin]

Esper shrugged. "I'm bored. All the fun people went to hell."

 

[Namohysip]

Shield twitched his left eye, then looked back at the others. "Fine, well, if that's the case, follow me. She's around here somewhere, I--THERE!"

He shouted so loudly that it startled the night shift, who all looked at him, then at where he was pointing.

...Nothing was there.

 

[Ambyssin]

"Hmm. Maybe it's invisible! Ooo, spooky!" Esper waved his arms back and forth, then spewed neon pink paint from his center head needle. If the person was invisible, he'd expose them.

 

[RJR Basimilus]

"Describe it to us," Seyka said, staring intently at where Shield was looking. "Make sure we're on the same page here, you know?"

"Maybe they aren't invisible," he said, looking over at Esper. "Maybe we're the ones who don't have what it takes to see what he sees."

 

[Namohysip]

"But--but she was just there. I know she--THERE!"

And again, he pointed, and nothing was there, and Shield became even more frustrated. "This is just like her. She's just trying to make me look crazy, that's all. Sword! Come out! How did you escape from Giovanni, huh?"

There was, of course, no answer.

"Describe it to us,"

"Sword. It's Sword, and she's a Charmander again! How is she so stealthy if she has that flame on her?"

 

[Ambyssin]

Esper apparently only succeeded in covering the wall in paint. "Are you sure you're not seeing Owen Three? Uh, Cal, I think she goes by?"