Spinda Cafe

[NebulaDreams]

"I guess kinda, yeah. It varies just like anything else. I've felt it. Probably hasn't hit me as hard since, y'know... it's new, so it didn't really shape who I am or anything."

"So... it's like a biological change for you, like that sort of hunger is baked into who we are as Pokemon." Another sigh. "Not really reassuring. I mean, I like a fight as much as the next mon, but I don't want that to define me. Sorry, it's just something I've been thinking about a lot lately."

Starr was silent for a few seconds. Then, hating every word, she said, "Sounds like it was an accident. She's probably fucking miserable too."

"No shit, if she took an entire bottle of wine with her. I wanna forgive her for what happened since both of us were at fault, but, y'know--"she dug her claws into her arm--"I never wanna be in that state again. I've probably felt the lowest I've ever done in years since that happened, like all the worst moments in my life were clawing back at me. You don't just go through that and be all pixie sticks and rainbows with the cause of it afterwards."

 

[Chibi Pika]

"So... it's like a biological change for you, like that sort of hunger is baked into who we are as Pokemon." Another sigh. "Not really reassuring. I mean, I like a fight as much as the next mon, but I don't want that to define me. Sorry, it's just something I've been thinking about a lot lately."

Starr fixed her with a serious look. "Hey. Don't give me any of that shit. You don't have to be anything you don't wanna be."

"I never wanna be in that state again. I've probably felt the lowest I've ever done in years since that happened, like all the worst moments in my life were clawing back at me. You don't just go through that and be all pixie sticks and rainbows with the cause of it afterwards."

Starr's claws dug into the table again. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Hey, so. This is gonna sound stupid as all hell, but..." The next few words took an eternity. "I can relate, okay?"

Liar.

"I know what that shit's like."

Liar, liar, liar, LIAR.

"And you feel like you're never gonna be okay again, and it fucking sucks, and it's not your fault."

You're LYING. She's a victim. You're not.

 

[NebulaDreams]

Starr fixed her with a serious look. "Hey. Don't give me any of that shit. You don't have to be anything you don't wanna be."

"Yeah, I know. It sounds simple in theory." She let out a half-hearted chuckle. "And it sound stupid talking about it. But you know what's fucking terrifying? Losing control of yourself. Your senses. Your autonomy to act as you want to. Your ability to do simple tasks. I had to learn to use a fork without opposable thumbs. Imagine if I lost that. Imagine if I just acted as my body told me to because Pokemon have this urge to keep fighting in 'em. Does that make me a person, or does that just make me an animal?"

And would you be able to stop yourself from killing your loved ones?

"And you feel like you're never gonna be okay again, and it fucking sucks, and it's not your fault."

"Yeah, that's exactly what it feels like. I keep trying to fight it. I keep running away from shit -- I spent all my time travelling because I don't wanna face any of it. But I don't know how it's gonna get any better if I stop."

Her stomach churned. Suddenly, Curio wasn't in the mood for any more drinks.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Yeah, I know. It sounds simple in theory." She let out a half-hearted chuckle. "And it sound stupid talking about it. But you know what's fucking terrifying? Losing control of yourself. Your senses. Your autonomy to act as you want to. Your ability to do simple tasks. I had to learn to use a fork without opposable thumbs. Imagine if I lost that. Imagine if I just acted as my body told me to because Pokemon have this urge to keep fighting in 'em. Does that make me a person, or does that just make me an animal?"

Starr gave Curio an incredulous stare. "What, you think humans don't have instincts? We're all just big, dumb piles of meat trying to stay alive, human, Pokemon, whatever. So maybe being pissed off is a bunch of dumbass brain chemicals. Doesn't make it less real. Sometimes you start a fight with someone 'cause the world's ending when, I don't know, you just needed a damn sandwich. You're sitting here asking this crap, you're a goddamn person."

"Yeah, that's exactly what it feels like. I keep trying to fight it. I keep running away from shit -- I spent all my time travelling because I don't wanna face any of it. But I don't know how it's gonna get any better if I stop."

Starr chuckled lowly. "Y'know, someone once told me the same thing. So. that's what I've been trying to do. It's okay if you're not okay." She paused. "Yeah, that probably sounded dumb as hell. I don't even have the booze excuse for it either."

 

[NebulaDreams]

Starr gave Curio an incredulous stare. "What, you think humans don't have instincts? We're all just big, dumb piles of meat trying to stay alive, human, Pokemon, whatever. So maybe being pissed off is a bunch of dumbass brain chemicals. Doesn't make it less real. Sometimes you start a fight with someone 'cause the world's ending when, I don't know, you just needed a damn sandwich. You're sitting here asking this crap, you're a goddamn person."

“Yeah, I guess so... thanks.” She still wasn’t fully convinced, but it was enough for now. Curio wanted to go to sleep at that point to ride out the nausea as well, but she wanted to keep talking to Starr. She felt like an older sister to her, somehow.

Starr chuckled lowly. "Y'know, someone once told me the same thing. So. that's what I've been trying to do. It's okay if you're not okay." She paused. "Yeah, that probably sounded dumb as hell. I don't even have the booze excuse for it either."

Curio chuckled at that, which got her mind off of things for just a little bit. “Yeah, I’ve heard all those platitudes and that. But hey, your heart’s in the right place.” She tried to force a smile. “Y’know, earlier, I didn’t think we’d be talking like we are right here now, but I’m glad we’re doing it.”

 

[Chibi Pika]

Curio chuckled at that, which got her mind off of things for just a little bit. “Yeah, I’ve heard all those platitudes and that. But hey, your heart’s in the right place.” She tried to force a smile. “Y’know, earlier, I didn’t think we’d be talking like we are right here now, but I’m glad we’re doing it.”

Starr glanced away, and she wasn't able to keep the smile from her face either. "Yeah. Same." She looked back at Curio and smirked. "You look like you're two seconds away from either puking your guts out or passing out. Or both. C'mon. Let's at least get you somewhere you can pass out without worrying a buncha random bystanders."

 

[NebulaDreams]

"You look like you're two seconds away from either puking your guts out or passing out. Or both. C'mon. Let's at least get you somewhere you can pass out without worrying a buncha random bystanders."

“Yeah. Godddddd.” Curio stood, then fell into Starr, almost fainting on top of her. “Take me... somewhere... I-I’m so tired...”

 

[Chibi Pika]

Starr chuckled as Curio practically fell over herself getting out of her seat, but then stopped laughing as she suddenly had to deal with the weight of a Riolu half-collapsing against her.

"Oof, alllright, let's get your sorry ass back to the dojo," Starr said, and she slowly walked the two of them outside the cafe.

<><><><><>​

 

[Adamhuarts]

The bar was a friendly sight for sure. Cynthian used to go hang out there with Nora in the Explorers guild whenever he visited Treasure Town for an expedition. Aside from the nostalgia, thoughts about the sparring session kept swirling in his mind.

He should've attacked Cabot with Giga drain during the battle, he should've helped Brisa more, he could've done literally anything than standing around being useless. Cynthian's body trembled while he was seated at a table. He pursed his lips and buried his face in his flowers.

We’re gonna need you.

Those words echoed in his mind again, and some of the trembling stopped. Did Astrid really mean those words? Was it really okay for him to believe in them?

Cynthian squeezed his temples and groaned. All those thoughts weren't really getting him anywhere. Perhaps, he thought, he could use a drink.

"Spinda, can I have a glass of spring water please?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Of course, of course!"

Cheerful as always, but it contrasted greatly with Cynthian's mood, and the negative aura was certainly something that Spinda noticed. Still, what better cure for gloom than a little cheer?

But something else had different ideas in mind, and it skittered and slithered around in the dark corners of the bar, undetected by most others. Within the shadows, through the cracks, it inched its way toward Cynthian, carefully, slowly...

"Hsss..."

And then it lunged toward him while his back was turned.

 

[Adamhuarts]

Cynthian groaned while he waited for his drink. He stared down at his flowers on the table, completely oblivious to his surroundings. Maybe he'd have done better at the spar if he'd used his Radiance. Cabot told him to be careful with the power, yet he used his as soon as the sparring began. If only Cynthian followed his cue—

All his thoughts came to a halt when he felt something latch onto the back of his head. Did someone throw something at him or was it perhaps a small bug type trying to nibble at his spikes?! His heart quickened and jolted up right on his seat immediately.

"What the hell?!" Cynthian tried swatting whatever was there with his vines flowers, but he struggled to reach it properly. "Get it off me!"

 

[Namohysip]

It had only lasted for an instant. One more later, and the Shade split its head open as eight tendrils jutted into Cynthian's shoulders. Two things raced through his mind at that moment--pain, head-splitting pain, and horrible, overwhelming, dark thoughts as the rest of the Shade's body burrowed deeper into Cynthian's back. Cold electricity raced through his body...

"Huh?" Spinda turned around. "What's wrong?"

Cynthian, what's wrong? Diyem called. Cynthian, are you--no, get to someone, there are others at the main square, go there before . . .

The rest of whatever Diyem was saying was lost in a haze as the shadows rose within Cynthian rapidly.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"Who am I fooling? They're all pretending. They don't need me. All of it, nothing but lies..." Cynthian whimpered as he clutched his head tightly. He had fallen off his chair and curled up on the ground.

"Huh?" Spinda turned around. "What's wrong?

"Stay away from me!" Cynthian said with a hiss, grabbing onto a chair's leg to support himself only for the chair to topple over along with him. He got back up again with tears streaming down his face. "Don't try to help me. No one can!"

A strange nostalgic feeling overcame Cynthian while he stood, and he struggled to piece together when he'd felt like this before. "No, something's... What's happening to me? I..."

Cynthian, what's wrong? Diyem called. Cynthian, are you--no, get to someone, there are others at the main square, go there before . . .

Who did Diyem think he was? He told him he could learn to be brave by coming to Cibus, but it was all a lie too! Cynthian knew there was nothing to gain for or from a pathetic excuse of a pokemon like him.

"Main square... I'll go. They can see how worthless I really am," Cynthian muttered to himself. His tears continued to flow, and his eyes reflected nothing but his own despair as he made his way to the main square.

<><><>​

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave sat at the bar with his third glass of beer, trying his hardest to forget that Maple existed.

So far, he was successful insofar as how on earth he could actually use a glass, on any level, was a more fascinating scientific puzzle than Maple could ever fucking hope to be. He tried to notice what was going on when he picked it up but it just felt like it stuck to his paw when he intended it to. Could he intend something different? He tried just pushing it lightly, and it didn't stick. Fucking amazing. Shouldn't he need human lips, swiveling shoulders, to actually lift it and not pour the drink all over himself? Apparently fucking not! He chuckled to himself, unsure what the shit any of this meant or how it worked. This was great. Why didn't he just stay here for the rest of his life, in the fucking cartooniverse with the god-Smeargle. Maybe if they were all nice little children and said enough prayers to Arceus nobody would die.

 

[NebulaDreams]

Curio lined her stomach, and now she needed a drink. Maybe not a stiff drink like last time; any more alcohol and she was going to give herself liver failure. But she needed something to wash down the taste of those steamed buns. Maybe she'd bump into Brisa on the way.

What she found instead was Dave. The last time she heard from him, he was talking about manipulating the DNA of other Pokemon and making them into hybrids. That initially put a bad taste in her mouth. Still, it didn't quell the curiosity within her to find out more about him, and she wanted to talk more about cybernetics with someone worth their salt, even if it might not've been his field.

Curio sat next to Dave. "Yo," she said, glancing at his row of empty beer glasses. "Looks like someone's paintin' the town red."

 

[Dragonfree]

"Hi," Dave said. "Did you know Maple's some kind of fucking monstrosity? Because I recently found that out."

 

[NebulaDreams]

“Well, colour me... not surprised. Diyem turned out to be Dark Matter, the Destroyer of Worlds, or some shit like that. I mean, he’s good now apparently and wants to help us, but if any old Charizard can turn out to be a monstrosity, then a Smeargle can too, I guess. I’m just rolling with it at this point.”

 

[Namohysip]

Gh--

It seemed that Diyem was listening, one way or another.

Keep your voice down! You're in a cafe!

 

[Dragonfree]

“Well, colour me... not surprised. Diyem turned out to be Dark Matter, the Destroyer of Worlds, or some shit like that. I mean, he’s good now apparently and wants to help us, but if any old Charizard can turn out to be a monstrosity, then a Smeargle can too, I guess. I’m just rolling with it at this point.”

"Wait, what." Dave blinked at Curio. "He's..." Diyem. D-M. Dark Matter. Dave giggled. "Seriously?"

Later. He could think about that later. "Well, I sniffed out Maple's power level. She could kill us all with her little fucking finger, and also obliquely threatened to do just that if she ever doesn't think we're on their side. So that's great. How's your day going?"

 

[NebulaDreams]

"Well, I just gave a plant some light-flavoured pesticides." She snickered to herself. "Nah, I had to shake one of those brainslugs off of Cynthian earlier. Dude went through some shit, alright."