Frontier Town Old Town

[Ambyssin]

"Yeah, but I've got equipment for my plan," Nova said. He seemed to... pick something off the ground. "What do you have aside from, y'know, you?"

 

[Magyk]

"Well there's me, and there's Gerome, and I bet Mhynt and a bunch of others would want to helpz too! Owen's attacked and nearly killed me before, so what's to say he wouldn't finish the job?"

Something about that gave her pause, but she quickly recovered.

 

[Ambyssin]

"You were on that caravan?" Nova wondered. He moved as though he was placing something into his bag. The he glanced back at the togetic and looked her over. "Or was there another run in I should be aware of?"

 

[Magyk]

"No, he attacked me privately," Grace answered. "I got careless and was by myself while scouting."

While the voice was the same, the way she carried herself was definitely different, now. Why wasn't she flying...?

 

[Ambyssin]

"That's very suspicious," Nova said, squinting. Something about the way his eyes narrowed was a bit... odd. "Why didn't you tell anyone? Surely, there's more we're planning than that, right?"

 

[Magyk]

"I'll have to double check with that plan," Grace said, looking flustered. "I... think I'm going to go over this way to look for that toy for now. I'll see you later...?"

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova frowned. "Oh, that? I see it right there." He pointed behind Grace, toward the gutter by the corner of a building.

 

[Magyk]

She turned and her eyes widened. Sure enough, there was in fact, a dusty, old plush. "Oh, shoot, thanks!" said the Togetic as she started to jog off towards it. "I'll go ahead and deliver this, good luck with your scarf, Nova!"

 

[Ambyssin]

But there was no response. In fact, if Grace were to look back over after acquiring the toy, she'd find no trace of Nova at all. Only some haphazard, skittery footprints that clearly didn't match someone of Nova's size. Plus, they weren't pairs of talon marks and pawprints.

It wouldn't be long before desert winds began to erase even those traces from the road...

 

[Magyk]

"Huh," the togetic said, once she'd looked back. She didn't know of Nova all that much, so she chalked it up as him being bizarrely fast or something. Neat.

Or maybe...?

The togetic walked over to the old toy in the gutter, surprised that there was even a toy here to begin with. The dishevelled teddiursa plush was missing an ear, and it looked long abandoned. Or maybe just really old.

She wondered if the owner still thought about this thing, even as she picked it up gently and wiped off some of the dust.

The Mewtwo raid...

After some walking, she found her next person to watch. She needed more information, and that performance wasn't doing her any favours. They quickly found a side path to hide in, focusing on their next objective.

Togetic real Grace was flying around the area, eagerly searching... or something. The observer wasn't quite sure. Grace helped a lot of mons in her spare time.

They had to make sure they had Grace's movements down better. Her behaviours. Her thoughts. The more natural, the better.

They'd been so busy watching the real Grace, that they'd missed a rock they kicked across the ground. The observer panicked as Grace turned in their direction.

But Grace found nobody. "Huh," she said. "Thought I heard something... oh well! Let's go check the board again for another job!"

Her observer was gone.

<><><>

 

[Cresselia92]

Sitting on a solitary spot of Old Town, Silver stared intently at the Apricorn Ball in his paws, alternating between rolling it in his claws and throwing it in the air to catch it. Doing so seemed to entertain him somewhat - it must’ve been because of those hyperactive weasel instincts! — but it also served as a glaring reminder of his meeting with Mewtwo Giovanni.

As much as he tried to not think too hard about their new alliance and mentally chided himself for not seeing it as simple business, there was that unsettling sensation that wouldn’t leave his mind. The way Mewtwo Giovanni studied him with that calculating smirk, and then the way he shot that patronizing glare when Silver pointed out his weakness and failure… for a moment, he felt like he was talking to his father — his blood-related father. And that fact irked him to the bones.

Could they really trust that Mewtwo, even if he wouldn’t trust his own father? Well, he trusted his own judgment, and he wanted to extend that trust to his interdimensional twin’s judgment. If both Giovanni were so alike, then that probably meant he and the other Silver were alike as well, no? And his twin trusted Mewtwo Giovanni, no? Then why couldn’t he do the same?

“Ugh! This is so stupid!!” the Sneasel Silver hissed, throwing his Apricorn Ball against a rock and letting it ricochet away. He sighed, his ear and head feather drooping, and wrapped his arms around his legs before resting his head on the bundle of limbs. “Why must everything be so complicated…?”

 

[Tetra]

Koa's thoughts buzzed and rattled in his head as he wandered through the quietest part of Old Town. He was lost in thought, contemplating everything they'd learned from Giovanni. It was only thanks to his keep electrike senses that he heard the familiar voice muttering furiously away. He turned to see Silver.

The recollection of the conversation with Giovanni and Silver's confession came back to Koa, and he froze. Should he say something? A knot of apprehension tightened around his chest. What could he say 'sorry, having that guy as your dad sucks?' Besides, the Giovanni and Silver situation was... different. But he couldn't ignore him either.

Swallowing, he slowly walked towards him, pausing to pick up up the fallen apricorn ball. "Uh... hey. Wouldn't wanna lose this," he said awkwardly. He handed the ball back. It was hard to comfort Silver when he didn't quite know him as well but... "What's so complicated?" he asked eventually.

 

[Cresselia92]

Realizing that there was another presence around, Silver’s ears jolted upright and lifted his head, instantly wary. He relaxed subtly when he spotted the familiar azure Electrike, and he waved awkwardly his paw. “Ah! Um… Hey!”

Silver stared hard at the Apricorn Ball being dropped on his lap, almost as if it were some alien and dangerous trinket, and gingerly held it in his paws. Somehow, despite its hollow inside, it felt much heavier.

“Hmph! For all I care, it could fall into a bottomless pit and I wouldn’t shed a tear… but well!” he murmured, before shrugging with nonchalance and resuming juggling with it.

The fast blurry motions and the effort poured into coordinating the throws seemed to put his mind somewhat at ease. If anything, it allowed him to redirect some of his excess energy away from his stifling head, and that was just enough to better collect his thoughts.

“…I’m torn, Koamaru,” he started, before gazing back at the Electrike. “I… dunno what to think about, well, that guy. Y’know, a certain psychic cat slash mafia boss?”

And once more, his gaze followed the ping-ponging sphere.

“It’s just… It’s almost as if my brain is splitting apart! I know what kinda damage someone like him can do! I saw what kinda damage someone like him did do! And yet…” He sighed aloud, stopping the ball between his paws. “I, hmm… I guess I also understand what kinda thoughts someone like him might have? If he’s truly who he says he is, and if he’s like… exactly like my old man, then…”

Silver trailed off, not sure anymore where his train of thought was headed (or maybe not wanting to know where it was headed). He shook off that sensation with a frown, followed by a frustrated groan, then resumed juggling the ball. “Ugh! Stupid conflicting feelings!”

 

[Tetra]

Koa's heart twisted as Silver rambled. He couldn't blame him for being so upset. That Giovanni. to think the Mewtwo he'd first been so excited to see was actually a criminal mastermind and another version of Silver's father.

But what could he say to fix things? He wasn't great at helping people, much less being conflicted about meeting the multiversal version of someone he knew. That was a Wes thing.

"It sucks," he muttered finally. "This whole multiverse stuff is really crazy... People like him are different but the same too. I don't get it."

Sighing he sat down. "You think someone like him really did change?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver hummed and stared at the other teen, giving a lot of thought to Koamaru’s question. While he had plenty of doubts flocking his mind, there was at least one thing he could be certain about. “…It’s possible, yeah,” he said at last, nodding with firm conviction. “Anyone can change if they put their mind and heart into that. It won’t erase their past mistakes, but at least they won’t continue hurting other people. Innocent people.”

Silver breathed out an ashamed sigh. “I’d know that because… I went through that kinda ordeal myself.”

“I did and said a lot of bad stuff in my world. Stuff that I regret, that I wish I could take back, but I can’t.” Soon, a spark of determination burned into his eyes, brighter than the sun. “When I realized my mistakes, mainly thanks to some people, I found myself a new goal: to become a better person. I’ve worked and I’m still working very hard to change, to improve, to be someone others can trust and that I can be proud of.”

He paused to give enough time to his words to settle in, his gaze drifting back to the Apricorn Ball. The same thing that, in a sense, had connected them to Mewtwo Giovanni and Mew Red.

“So, huh, if this Giovanni truly changed and wants to help out, then it must be frustrating for him to have to deal with people who aren’t willing to give him a chance. I’m not justifying him and he probably deserves the contempt and suspicion, but… I can relate to his situation, and I know that nothing kills good intention faster than a lack of faith.”

And once more, he stared at Koamaru. The inner anger and confusion dimmed significantly, replaced by some hint of… begrudging sympathy.

“This is why I wanna give him the benefit of doubt, but it’s been… a real challenge.” He held the ball in one hand and rubbed his neck with the other, flashing an embarrassed smirk. “My temper and messy relationship with my old man don’t help with that, either…”

 

[Tetra]

A strange surge of hope rose in Koa as Silver shared his story. He'd done it. He'd proved that he could change and be different.

"I know what you mean," he muttered bitterly. He stared at his own paws for a moment before continuing. "I hate the idea of trusting someone like him too."

But could he ever give Giovanni a chance if he were in Silver's position? Would he... Koa's stomach churned. He didn't want to follow that train of thought at all.

Koa sighed. Nova trusted Giovanni. Red did. Were they being deceived or were they right? "But I guess we have to try and give him a chance," he muttered finally. "Right? I mean we're supposed to be heroes I guess. I don't want to judge someone again... I made that mistake with Sonora, assuming she was like those kinds of people. Hurting for fun or money. Thinking she was better than everyone. I never gave her a chance."

He glanced at Silver. The idea of poking at his personal life made Koa uneasy but at the same time he only knew a little of his own worlds Giovanni. Leader of Team Rocket, masquerading as a gym leader. Not a friendly person though he thought. "Does any of that power of friendship sound like something your... Giovanni would try to do if he were really evil?"

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver waited patiently as Koamaru gave his own opinion of Giovanni. From the sound of it, they shared a similar dilemma: not being too thrilled at the idea of dealing with someone like him, but also wanting to give a second chance. Because, well, that was the right thing to do, no?

“Well, heroes need to be careful, too,” Silver pointed out during a pause. “It never hurts to err on the side of caution, y’know? But of course, that’s as long as you don’t let doubt blind you and make you jump to conclusions before getting all the evidence.”

That seemed something that Koamaru had learned by himself, if his own admission of initially distrusting Sonora was any proof. At least the Electrike had enough self-awareness to recognize when he made a mistake, and that was something that Silver approved. He gave to the other boy an encouraging smile, glad to have found someone of his age he could relate to.

"Does any of that power of friendship sound like something your.. Giovanni would try to do if he were really evil?"

Silver shot Koamaru a perplexed stare, both his brows raising. Yet another complex question.

“Huh, well, probably not…?” he hazarded, his head tilting in confusion. “I… guess it depends on what you mean by ‘really evil’, because I’ve met both questionable individuals who had genuine relationships and other questionable individuals who… don’t, and who see others as expendable paws. And… I bet that an unmistakably evil Giovanni wouldn’t pursue friendship at all — only dominion.”

Silver began tapping his chin, his eyes narrowing and his gaze drifting away. “However! Now that you mention it, hmm… There’s something I found really strange. Like, Giovanni was insistent on calling that the power of friendship, not simple friendship.” He pondered the matter further, then traded glances with Koamaru. “Man, I sure hope that was just some unfortunate wording, and he isn’t looking into that ‘power’ as if it were some kinda magical resource! Because believe me, he’s the kinda guy who’d go nuts while testing various sources of power.”

 

[Tetra]

Koa bit his lip and stared off at the horizon. Genuine... Could someone so evil care genuinely for anyone other than themselves? Shaking himself, he focused. "Maybe it is possible he changed then. I mean, if he's interested in friendship, that's at least a start..."

A frown deepened on his muzzle. "But what makes someone a real friend?" he murmured. "Does it even count as friendship if... you're just using someone?" Now his head was hurting trying to consider the possibilities. Giovanni wasn't wrong about there being power in bonds. But how on earth was it accessed?

"Like... friendship evolutions, or whatever. You know, when a pokemon needs some kind of bond to evolve, like a Crobat. Does that work if its faked or manipulated? If he's trying to use it for personal power is that even possible?"

He thought of the moment his own Crobat had evolved... They'd be friends before that, but then maybe their relationship got stronger?

 

[Cresselia92]

Silver gave out a weak chuckle and held out his claws in faux defensiveness. “Ah, beats me! I’m still fairly new to this whole friendship stuff, so I dunno all the know-how’s! Kinda the downside of being a loner for a long time!”

Even though Silver smirked and poured a bit of joviality in his exclamation, it was clear from his slightly unfocused gaze that he was legitimately uncertain about what it meant to be friends. Like, he had much stronger and healthier connections with both his team and a few humans back in his world, but when did a bond turn into friendship? And when Koamaru mentioned Crobat…

“Gotta say that I still dunno how my former Golbat became a Crobat,” he admitted, scratching his cheek. “But if I can hazard a guess, I think it was because he cared about me, perhaps even more than he cared about himself. He saved me from a difficult situation and, in a sense, he unlocked some kinda power in the process…”

Silver crossed his arms and stared at the Apricorn Ball, his mind latching onto another matter.

“I mean, finding new friends is why Poké Balls’ve been invented, no? They’re less about collecting Pokémon and more about creating a connection, learning about and accepting each other, and relying on those bonds to achieve greater things. And friendship sounds like the kinda thing you can’t simply force into yourself and explain to others as if it were some topic of an essay, but you must actually feel it inside of you to realize what it is about and how profound it can be.”

He paused, wondering whether what he said made sense, then showed a shy, awkward smile. “A-at least, I believe so? I might be misguided, of course, but… well… that’s kinda how it is with my team back home, so…”

 

[Tetra]

"Yeah that's basically how pokeballs on my world worked too," he murmured thoughtfully. "They help form a connection. And of course, battling first. I never thought about friendship like that before, it just felt so... normal I guess, back home. It was never just about power." Right?

He frowned and shifted uneasily. Back home, and even here, he did want power. Being strong was important. especially if he wanted to prove himself to a legendary. But that wasn't why he valued his friends.

"I guess its a choice, in a way too. Accepting your friends, even with flaws, and they accept you. You choose to stick with them and help them, even when its hard. My Zubat did that for me when we first met, was kinder to me than I deserved." His thoughts drifted for a moment, to the thought of other 'trainers' with Crobat's...

Shaking aside the thought, he instead considered the night when Echo evolved. "Guess that's why my Golbat evolved. He'd spent so long helping and understanding me, and I think the night he evolved was the first time I really got him."

A sigh escaped him. "But then... I have no idea how those kinds of powers work here, or what that means for people like Giovanni."