Poppin' Arms ~ Study

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa raised a brow. "If keepin' folks in line ain't a leadership responsibility, I don't know what is. Ya seem perfectly indispensable t'me."

She blew out a breath and put her tail-tuft the the floor to trace patterns. What was she really asking about, if not anything that occurred to Maple to discuss? She tried to analyse her own deeper intentions, the way she did with Starr. ...ah.

"Say that there's a person on yer posse," she began, carefully, "who believes they're doin' the right thing by goin' off on their own 'n' takin' risks, even after you've told 'em the team can't afford t'lose 'em. How d'you . . . how would an 'enforcer' get her—them—to see reason, without pushin' 'em further away? Makin' 'em feel like their efforts just ain't appreciated?"

 

[Namohysip]

The look of concern flashed in Maple's eyes, though it faded quickly in favor of her usual, stoic gaze. Duty, now, and not comfort. "Someone who is going out of their way to help... but endangering themselves in the process?" she asked. "You would need to outline it to them in more practical terms... If you are not at a point of authority to outright force them to stop, you need to play their game."

"If they're endangering themselves," Millijoule said, "then that means they run the risk of not being able to help in battle later. Or ever. And what help will they be then? If they become incapacitated, they may become a burden rather than a boon... And they certainly don't want that."

"If this is about who I think it is," Millijoule said, his eyes flashing, "I think you have great reason to be concerned. Your bodies are already unstable as it is, and even Bomb doesn't explode that often. If she keeps it up, I fear the explosions may hinder her for longer than just a few days... They've already become worse."

Maple sighed. "You never were subtle," she murmured.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa hissed through her teeth. "Yeah, okay, I dunno why I even tried to anonymise the question. Yeah, this is about Astrid."

The name hung in the air, daring Brisa to say other honest things.

"I . . . really care about her. An' the posse needs her, of course. Perhaps I can get her t'see reason with . . . practical terms. Yeah. I could do that. Even if it's real tough feelin' so hard about the alternative..."

She bit her lip and dropped her gaze, realising just how transparent she must seem to her present company.

 

[Namohysip]

"It's all right," Millijoule said. "We know that you care a great deal for your team, and, well... frankly, Astrid is one of the ones putting herself at incredible risk. Frankly I think your patron should be doing some talking as well. All that Radiance certainly can't be good on a creature of darkness..."

Maple sighed, nodding. "I cannot begin to comprehend the strain your bodies and auras must be going through to balance such powers," she said. "Blacklight... it's inherently so dangerous to use. Can't even fathom..."

"Mm... And speaking of which." Joule glanced ahead. "We should probably resume strategy planning with the others, hm? Meeting time with the top strategists should begin soon."

"Of course." Maple nodded. "Brisa... thank you. If we can get through this... I'm going to put more off an effort to get to know your team more. I really should not have deferred such a task for so long."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa did care about her whole team. That wasn't exactly what she'd meant, though. But . . . it didn't seem like a priority to resolve her heartache when they had mere days to prepare for a fight with Joule, if they could even survive the incoming attack...

She nodded to her companions. "Thank ye kindly fer the time. I'd best be goin' myself, I gotta make sure the rest of the posse keeps their shit t'gether. Good luck with yer meetin', an' I look forward to seein' ya make good on that there declaration. Take care, Blade."

 

[Namohysip]

The Smeargle smiled a little at that, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Take care indeed," she said. Once Brisa left, she looked to Millijoule, nodding. "Then, I suppose our break is over?"

"I believe so. Onward, then! Let's try to rally the town."

<><><>​

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Supposedly Truffle rarely stayed in that ominous abode he shared with Leg. With how dark she preferred to keep it, and his reputation for chipperness, that seemed to track, though Luz was curious why they should then share a dwelling at all. Maybe with so much going on, and Truffle's usual ranges inaccessible past the time bubble, the fellow would be available? Although . . . she didn't exactly wish to knock at their door and then explain to Leg that she wasn't interested in her company.

[Zest > Truffle]: hey r u home

[Zest > Truffle]: wanna shoot the breeze

[Zest > Truffle]: nw if not 😸 😼 😽

[Truffle > Zest]: I am in the study! Please, come my way!

Result!

Luz made her way to the study with her permanent smile on her face, wondering what the decidueye was doing there...

Fascinating.

 

[Namohysip]

"Hullo!" Truffle greeted cheerily as always, beaming at Luz when she entered.

He sat at one of the tables with a book in front of him. It appeared to be about raising kids, for some reason, though it seemed to be more focused on the illustration of dolls and knitting. He must have been really desperate for options. Perhaps he'd read through all the mainstream options.

"I saw your host's battle," he added gesturing to the now-off machine in the corner of the room that had a black screen. "Indirect congratulations!"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Howdy, fella! Many thanks, I put a lot of effort into the preparations~"

Luz pulled up a seat and sat backward on it, facing Truffle and his book. "Say, what's yer interest in that, then? Somethin' yer workin' on fer Leg's sake?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Ah, yes. I am looking into designs here. It isn't often that we have time to really settle in and look over the cultures of the worlds we visit." Truffle turned the page. "I am also taking a break from practicing my shields and incantations. One can only work so hard for so long, after all... I'd rather not wear myself down before the fight, should I potentially be useful."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz sucked her teeth and nodded. "Yep, that's about right. Can't be all work an' no play, that's fer sure." She peered at the book. "So, you'n' Leg, huh? Y'all live t'gether, what's the relationship there? I ain't spent time with any of y'all God Squad folks aside from a minute here'n' there with Maple, I don't know yer deal yet. Humour a gal's curiosity?"

 

[Namohysip]

There was a little glint in Truffle's eyes. "I suppose I'm Leg's retainer," he said simply. "She's fully feral, you see. I've been teaching her how to talk and interact with civilized Pokemon, but it's a long road ahead, but we've also traveled down this road quite far. We actually got Leg on accident, you see. While handling a crisis in another world, Leg had gotten in the way of one of our clashes... Lost everything, as far as we're aware, but had become irradiated by Maple's power. We couldn't leave her there... so I took it upon myself to help her adjust to a new lifestyle. I do hope she's happy now..."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz' eyes went as wide as her grin as she listened.

"Well ain't that a story!" she exclaimed. "It's real tragic that a bystander should have to go through that, but I guess y'all did the right thing after th'fact."

She raise a brow and leaned forward.

"What's yer story, fella? You sign up outta innate heroism, or did the fates contrive to put ya on this path?"

Her smile weakened the tiniest amount.

 

[Namohysip]

Truffle's unending light seemed to waver. "Ah, well." He turned the page again, looking over some of the designs, lingering on some of them. "My story is a common one for Maple, I believe. Hard fighter. Casualties amid their crisis resolutions. Fought alongside them. During a desperate moment, Joule saved me, and I saved Maple. Well. Saved would be an overstatement. She surely would have survived. But it was the gesture that caught their eye, and I had little to lose in following them after it was over..."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz' smile remained, but softened considerably.

"I guess even fer an interdimensional squad of superheroes, collateral damage and injured innocents are part of the course, huh?"

She looked away for a second. She hadn't assumed anything about the squad, exactly, and she knew that they'd had their share of strife, but this...

"D'you regret whatever happened?" she asked. She surprised herself with the flatness of her own question. She elaborated, "I figured you fer a fella who signed on outta personal conviction, y'know? But yer story makes it sound like y'had little choice else but resignation."

 

[Namohysip]

"...Well. They had nothing to do with my losses. If anything, they saved further losses for others. My reasons for fighting were... selfish, masked as selfless. Perhaps even now that's the truth. Still!" Truffle puffed out his feathers. "If I can at least do good for the world, that's all that truly matters in the end. Perhaps motivations can change in time. Rather, they have. I fight to help others. A simple goal, hm?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Hmm."

Luz pawed at her chin. Motivation, huh? She tended to think about things in terms of actions and consequences, not motivation. Yet, she must have motivations for choosing some actions over others...

"I dunno why I do what I do," she confessed. "I took the form of the folk hero Zeraora Luz. She's said t'have travelled the world, saved folks from harm, accomplished mighty deeds an' all that. I guess that's just . . . who an' what I'm meant t'be. I feel good when I help folks, I s'pose?"

She trailed off, stuck. It was an unfamiliar and deeply aggravating feeling.

"I was gonna ask ya about bein' a hero," she told Truffle, vaguely. "About what happens after we win on Cibus. 'Cause you... You've done this before."

 

[Namohysip]

"Being a hero..." Truffle beamed again, like before. "Yes. Being a hero is something for glory, but that's only because of the deeds performed. The renown gained from saving others... Yes, there's glory. But that isn't really why heroes do what they do, is it?" Truffle looked at Luz. "It's, in the end, acting selflessly to help others who have less than you do."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Luz fidgeted uncomfortably. "I mean, y'say that, but I don't..."

She bit her lip. The 'ectoplasm' of her body's 'flesh' was pliable beneath her teeth. She concentrated, and firmed up even further. There wasn't any discomfort even so, when she bit. It felt like there ought to be.

"I don't know. When I think about what I want goin' into th'future, I imagine performin' feats of heroism f'rever and bein' lauded fer it by one an' all. That's a pretty self-interested motivation, but I don't see as it matters if I'm doin' th'same junk as someone selfless."

She gestured vaguely. "My gal Brisa seem t'think if she benefits in any way from helpin' others, her motivation is suspect, an' she ain't livin' up to her pa's standard of duty. That don't sound right t'me. Why shouldn't a hero get t'have fun bein' a hero, huh? Why d'they gotta be miserable?"

She flicked her paw dismissively and her grin returned. "I have all the fun I can get."

 

[Namohysip]

"Hmm, it sounds to me that you two are on opposite extremes," Truffle said, taking on a more pensive expression. "Let me ask you this, Luz. What happens if you live in an era of peace, where powers as great as yours may not be needed? Prior to this Blacklight incident, that is something the Legends had all dealt with, you know. No longer being needed even after their awakenings."