Tree of Life ~ Exterior

[Dragonfree]

The change in Soda, the instant shift in atmosphere, sent a chill through him. For the first time in a while, the buried Poochyena instinct to get the hell out of there seemed to resurface in his brain, his heart racing. "Look, that's what he told me. Her name is Adne, and she was soft-spoken but always followed through, and sometimes she'd get pissed if you threw out food, and sometimes she made this annoying noise." He swallowed. "Sounded like you really loved her. Look, take it up with him if you don't think he should've told me that. I swear, I just asked what I should tell you to prove it."

 

[Namohysip]

And suddenly, the ground right in front of Dave exploded with energy. Bits of dirt got in his fur. The ground in front of him crackled with a silvery energy that felt like it would burn his very spirit if he stepped inside.

"You can't just say that like it doesn't matter," Yellow said in a hateful whisper. "You... can't just... fucking say that... who the fuck do you..."

There was a crazed look in Yellow's eyes, like he was teetering on the edge.

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave started backward with a strangled yelp as a spray of dirt rained over him, an ominous silver energy (Divine?) sparking inches from where he'd stood an instant before. "Hey, hey! Of course it matters. I know she matters. Shit, Soda - Ionys - I was just saying it was clear you loved her." His heart hammered in his chest. What the fuck? He seemed barely lucid. What did he need to hear?

Dave Called out to Soda!

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm here because I care about you and I want you to be okay. Just... breathe, all right? Please." Fuck. He wasn't any fucking good at this.

 

[Namohysip]

He trembled with something between rage and grief, but at least a few of Dave's words got through to him. Just enough that he wasn't going to attack again, not unless provoked, perhaps.

"Then how'd you do it?" he asked. "How did you convince... another one of me to tell you something like that... just to convince me that I'm wrong? How do you think that would work?"

 

[Dragonfree]

"I mean, we were having lunch. He's been staying in the holding cells - he wanted to, because it's safer. I brought him burgers and mozzarella sticks." Dave took a breath, struggling to ease some of the tension lingering in his body. "The bit about what she was like, that wasn't for proof, we were just talking. I was wondering how much he remembered."

 

[Namohysip]

"I'll never forget her," Yellow said with a hint of venom, but the potency was going down. "...You don't look like you're lying. But maybe you're just wrong. I know damn well what I'm trying to do here, and I bet Green at least told you that much."

 

[Dragonfree]

"Yeah. I know." Dave took a breath again. "Look, it sounds like you know Green wouldn't have told me her name unless he really thought it mattered. He was convinced. I can take you over and let him tell you himself, if you want." How much had they had to prod Green before he believed them? "The thing is, it's not like you just forgot. Somebody selectively erased some bits. Like what you argued about regarding her ascension. Maple and Joule said she never wanted to ascend, and that's why you fought over it. At first Green said Arceus made her lie to them, and sure, maybe, but on the other hand, why couldn't he remember any specific conversations about it? That kind of deal. It's not like you're the only one whose memory's been fucked with here."

 

[Namohysip]

And once again, Yellow seemed to close his eyes, almost like he was trying to block out what Dave was telling him. But he had no choice but to listen at this point. His brow was furrowed, and then he shook his head. "I'm... staying here," he said. "I'm supposed to stay by the Tree. That's, like, my one order. Gotta keep an eye on this crap." He gestured to the Tree. "You guys did a real number to them, y'know. They've been fighting nonstop, all three of 'em."

 

[Dragonfree]

"Three? Maple, Eien and Giovanni's Mewtwo?" Astrid had said something about that, the Blacklight Mewtwo having been there in the Tree with Eien. "Well, maybe I can get Green to come over here, instead. If you want."

He might not need to. Yellow seemed to have calmed down and be listening now, thank God. Lesson learned about bringing out Adne's name too early. At least this was a good trial run before speaking to Prime. For all he knew, if they set him off at this point he'd just fire the moon cannon down on Destiny Village and wipe them out.

 

[Namohysip]

Yellow was skeptical. There was still some unhinged madness, maybe a touch of it, in his eyes that he wasn't aware of. But it seemed that Dave had made enough of an impression on Prime that it carried over to Yellow.

"Fine," he muttered. "Bring him here if you want."

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave nodded slowly. "You got any idea where the last Substitute went? Green said he was hiding."

 

[Namohysip]

Yellow shook his head. "Nope. That was the point. In case somehow y'got us... kinda like this." He snorted, looking off.

 

[Dragonfree]

Figured. Maybe the best they could hope for was he'd been spying on them enough to have gathered what'd been said at the meeting.

"We just want to help," Dave said. "You can tell something's off with your memory. Green said he literally couldn't remember anything specific about what working with Arceus was like. Doesn't that bother you? Doesn't the fucking moon thing bother you? Turns out multiple people just had some random fucking compulsion to go to or aim attacks at the moon. If it were me that'd be ringing some real fucking alarm bells." He shook his head. "I know you just want to see her again, I know that's real. If there's one thing I got from Green's reminiscing about her, it's that, all right? But there's some other agenda at play here, and it's not yours."

 

[Namohysip]

Yellow, once again, seemed to be growing agitated with the issue being pressed. He regularly dismissed and waved off Dave's concerns until the end, where he finally said, "Alright, alright, I get it. Yeah, it's fishy, but it still seems like my best option, y'got it? Besides, everyone else is stuck in that tree, so what else could it be? I'm some puppet without even realizing it? And no, being a Substitute doesn't count, smartass."

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, everyone else?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Well, Giovanni's all cooped up in a cell, so he's out," Soda said. "I'm up on the moon, so that's covered. All the other puppets are held up, too. Only person left that's got anything to do with all this Blacklight is in that tree." He motioned inside. "Eien's probably the source. Maple's... Maple. And then that creepy Mewtwo."

 

[Dragonfree]

"Well, I'd expect whatever's going on here doesn't involve someone controlling you in real time anyway. What I'm figuring is it's somebody who realized if they fiddled with your brain in just the right way, you'd play right into their hands. Make use of your existing feelings for Adne and drive to stop abusive gods, erase everything that'd give you doubts. Maybe add in some seeds to set you on the right path, make you think of the moon. Then they just press play and watch you do what they wanted, regardless of what happens to them in the meantime. It makes sense, right? You're not being controlled, they just set you up from the start."

He frowned. "But also, what makes you say they're the only people who've got anything to do with it? Joule's still out here, for one, and he's the source of the fucking shades. Maybe there's a mastermind none of us have ever met up on the moon. I gather there's a bunch of Unown, maybe it's them. Where are you getting that?"

 

[Namohysip]

At the remark of Joule, Yellow rolled his eyes and shrugged, as if the very concept that Joule could be the mastermind of anything was so far removed that he hadn't even considered it. And, the way Joule behaved, that was probably true. He was either the greatest actor in the multiverse, or he was just a jolly dragon of light with world-shattering power.

But when Dave pressed on his reasoning... "Well, I--" Yellow closed his eyes again, as if blocking another thought. He growled to himself. "...I don't know. It's just a feeling that it can't be them."

 

[Dragonfree]

"...Right." God, how much of Soda's head had been fucked with? "You see what I mean? Seriously, think about it. There are a lot of gaps here. Be careful."

Maybe he should just go get Green now, let them talk. He paused. "What were you stationed out here for, anyway? You expecting they might break out of the Tree or what?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Yeah, either that or the wrong person gets out first," Yellow explained. "Maple shouldn't be getting out. She's... well, I mean, look at her. If she gets out, Cibus is fucked. Eien's a lot more slow-moving. Maple has portals. As for what I'd do... the assumption is I'll die and the memories will go to the main guy so he'll act."