Sojaveña Wilds Brisa's Cabin

[Ambyssin]

A monster eating the sun? That opened up portals?

"Whoa there. Easy. Breathe." Nova's cheek bolts dimmed. He felt... something trying to force water-type onto him. Except his water disk was already in. Was this just... irrational shadowing? What was Nova supposed to say in this sort of situation? His instincts were tugging on Bide just as a reflex. He couldn't stop it. That drive to preserve...

"Are you... talking about Necrozma or something? I don't think you have to worry about someone like that on Forlas."

 

[Weazel]

Necrozma. That word, that name, stirred something deep in the recesses of his mind. An entity made of black gemstones, that glinted in the fading light of their dying sun. It’s shape was humanoid, but wrong somehow. A mishmash of parts that didn’t fit together right. Limbs that bent at awkward angles. A head for a body. A tail for a head. And it didn’t just steal the light, oh no. It summoned up horrible beams of solar power from the cosmos, and rained destruction down on Castelia City.

The Dewott fell to his knees. He felt like he was bleeding from his stomach gash again, but that wound was long healed, any potential scar hidden by regrown fur. All it was was a phantom sensation, a ghost of the past, come to make him feel the pain again. Just like his memories.

“Why am I here, Nova?” he asked, his voice small, now. “Why am I alive? Just to suffer?”

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova stood still, initially unsure what to do. Or to say. The shadows were still there. A personal anecdote was an option, but that could have been read as selfish. Though, hadn't Nova had similar... reservations before?

He stepped away from the sage and sat down beside the dewott. "Well, your soul heard Betel's call, right? Same as me. Same as the others." Nova hummed in thought. "That second part, though... I dunno if I have an answer."

That wasn't satisfying and Nova knew it. He didn't want to use himself as an example, but he was struggling to come up with anything otherwise.

"But even with these burdens, you still want to help others." He slowly put his talons on the dewott's back and rubbed Archie's fur. "Maybe it's not really a question of why you're alive. Maybe it's more a matter of... how you want to use the second chance fate gave you?

"Cuz, from what I saw against Seth and that void horde... you're making a lot more out of your second chance than I am with my third."

 

[Weazel]

That’s right. Betel put out the call, and he was one of the bleeding hearts who answered. His soul dragged across the multiverse, his body frozen in time, universes away. The Dewott looked at the Graydian, seemingly without really seeing him. His eyes were unfocused, his mind far away. “It’s not fair.”

“We’re here to do a job. And when that job’s done, we’re gone. Back to where we came from, our memories erased for the trouble. Like we never even left, that was the promise,” he said. “I’ve made so many friends. I’ve remembered so many things, about myself, and about my old home. All of that will be gone.”

He reached out a paw, and shakily placed it against Nova’s beak, “But Nova… It’s worse for you. I’ll go back to my other friends. My partner, our world. I’ll have other adventures. But you’re a prisoner, on your world. And you’ll forget your face. You’ll forget you took off your mask. You’ll forget it’s even possible to take it off at all.”

Why did it have to be that way? Why was it some people could jump between worlds without issue, when others were hit with all these restrictions? Why could beings like Necrozma destroy worlds unfettered? Why could these Overseers decide some people were worth helping, and others got to be prisoners in their own realities, sectioned off so no one and nothing could ever make things better? Why did some worlds get to call heroes from across the multiverse to come and save them, while others suffered or died?

“Are we even really getting second or third chances? Or are we just playacting at lives we’ll never truly get to live?”

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova leaned over when he saw Archie reaching for his beak. The dewott would feel rust despite the gold coloring. It matched up with all the knots and scruffiness in Nova's coat.

"I've made my peace with what'll happen to me," he said, straightening himself back up. "It's a prison of my own making. Consequences of poor choices I made a long time ago. Choices that... were repeating the mistakes that had gotten me killed the first time."

Nova slowly shook his head. "You're right. It's not fair." His talons dug into the ground. "You know what else isn't fair? Us being here to begin with." He glanced skyward again. "The whole 'people from other worlds are naturally strong and can get even stronger much faster than Forlas natives' thing. It's frustrating."

There was a chance this would only make things worse, but it needed to be said. "In the most charitable interpretation, something in Forlas' makeup shifted to allow this to happen. But if that's not true..." Nova's expression hardened. "Then whatever gave rise to Forlas — Saints or nature or something else entirely — created the world this way." Which, whether intentional or not, was a terrifying prospect Nova hoped wasn't true.

"So, yeah. There's a lot that's unfair throughout reality." Nova's gaze remained sharp. "But if you let those thoughts win out... you're accepting that your fate isn't yours to control. That, perhaps, reality's better off with only one single world. Where everyone's fates and wills are controlled by one person. Where you can live for eternity... in fake, forced happiness."

He got up and stepped into Archie's path. "The spirit never forgets." Nova lifted a foreleg and pressed the tip of a gold talon to Archie's belly. "Even if the mind can't pull out those memories, they're still there. In our souls. What we do here... could change us back home. Even if we don't fully realize it."

Nova lowered his foreleg. "That's what I'm choosing to believe. Because it's my last chance... to learn from my mistakes and stop the person controlling me back home."

 

[Weazel]

“You… Really need to take better care of yourself,” Archie muttered, frowning up at Nova as he felt the patches of rust on the Graydian’s metallic beak. Gold shouldn’t even be able to rust in the first place, but then, real gold was also soft and heavy, a terrible combination for a face covering that was likely prone to damage. The Dewott let his paw fall back beside him as Nova pulled away, but his vision focused again, concern for the state of his friend having given his mind something to focus on other than his own memories.

Some of what the Graydian was saying was sailing over the Dewott’s head, admittedly. He was with Nova on the parts about acknowledging that reality was often cruel and unfair could well lead to one giving up and deciding they have no control over their own fates. The next step, however, about there only needing to be one world, where everyone’s fates were controlled by one person, he was less sure where that was coming from. Perhaps that was Nova’s own experience coloring his logic? Just what had gone on in the Graydian’s world?

Nova pressing a claw against his stomach broke him out of his thoughts, and he looked up at the Graydian again. Archie still looked, and felt, miserable. But the moment had passed, the despairing rage and anger had subsided. Now, the Dewott looked tired, and hurt, and above all, defeated.

“I hope you’re right,” he said. For all of their sake, not just Nova’s. He hoped Koa learned to control his anger. He hoped Wes opened up to people more. He hoped Steven gained more confidence in himself. “Do you think, after all this is over… Do you think we’ll ever see each other again?”

 

[Ambyssin]

"I think it's possible." Nova nodded. "Just need someone with the power to make it happen. And there are certainly plenty out there with that power. Even if we don't directly know 'em."

 

[Weazel]

The Dewott sighed, and pushed himself back to his feet. He brushed dirt out of his fur, straightened his coat – which Nova had pushed up to get at his back fur – and overall did his best to make himself look presentable again. Then Archie finally allowed himself to take in his surroundings again, “Sorry if I… Ruined your garden.”

Then he fixed his gaze on Nova again, “I’ll hold onto that hope. That what we do here matters more than just to Forlas. That we really can improve ourselves here and make it last. So… Promise me, when we all go home, you’ll save yourself, and your world. And that when we see each other again, you won’t be looking at me from behind a mask again.”

 

[Ambyssin]

"It's fine." Nova looked at the sage, which seemed mostly unharmed. "It gives me an excuse to practice doing grass stuff."

A slight smile crossed his beak. "And, well, I promise to do my part. But there are a lot of other folks working to save things. I'm... forced to be on the opposite side, but they're a resilient lot. We'll find a way."

 

[Weazel]

“Then I guess you’ll simply have to force yourself to switch sides,” the Dewott hummed, cheekily. He shot the Graydian a grin; a tired, weak one, but a grin nonetheless. He had to believe Nova could do it. Because if he couldn’t trust that the Graydian could turn things around for himself, how could Archie trust himself to do it in his own life?

“Is there… Anything I can help you with?” he asked. Now that he was over the initial flare up, he actually did feel pretty bad about coming all the way here just to trash the place, even if ultimately the damage from his little temper tantrum wasn’t all that great.

 

[Ambyssin]

"Nothing immediately springs to mind." Nova looked over his shoulder. The basket was fine, of course. He thought maybe he saw movement through a cabin window. "Might be getting close to when Sage needs to go let off shadows. I'm, uh, not sure you want to be around for that."

 

[Weazel]

Sage needed to 'let off shadows?' What did that even mean? He supposed it was likely some product of whatever it was Cipher had done to them down in the labs. Well, if Nova thought he should clear out before it was time, well, who was he to argue?

"Alright, guess I'll be going, then," Archie said with an nod. "Hope you both enjoy the gifts. Could you let them know I said hello, and I'm sorry we weren't able to meet?"

Still, the Dewott didn't want to overstay his welcome, so with a wave, he quickly departed. Back down the hill, and then back towards Frontier Town.

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova waved a foreleg. The motion slowed the further away Archie got. Nova turned and marched up to the basket full of goodies.

"A way... to change my fate." He looked down at all the treats, then up at the clear blue sky. "He must think it's possible, too. Why else would that necrozma waste all that time and energy to poke holes in my shadows?"

At least... that meddling had brought him here. But there was no way Necrozma could've known this would happen, right?

Gah, Nova didn't need another headache. He grabbed the basket.

"Hey, Sage!" He forced the enthusiasm into his voice as he opened the door. "A friend brought some new food for us to try!"

<><><>​

 

[Chibi Pika]

A gentle breeze swept through the hills. Desert lavender plants swayed, and though their blooming season had passed, the clearing was still a favorite of Sage's. The chimera was presently seated low to the ground with limbs held close and eyes closed. Every so often, tiny blips of light escaped from their helmet.

It was a quiet, peaceful spot. Good for meditating.

This is the time to look inward, make careful choices. Remember – hold the flame steady, protect it. It's a candle in a dark room: don't let it go out; don't set fire t'the house.

The first voice to break the silence for a long while was Sage's: "For you, how it feels to use the light... I want to know."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

If you’d asked him before now, Gladion would’ve doubted it would be a good idea to give radiance to someone who was already unfamiliar with decision-making in general. But clearly, Luz disagreed, and he was very much going to fight her on that. He could see the reasoning in hoping it would combat Sage’s shadows, at least.

“How it feels… to me?”

He didn’t really think about it that much, outside heeding the warnings he’d been given. Laura would know better than he would, he was pretty sure she was more of a radiance user than a shadow one. Personally, he found his radiant thoughts unpredictable, while his shadowed thoughts were the devil he knew.

“Huh. I guess I’d say… It’s like losing control of my thoughts, to some extent? Ones I’d usually ignore are more likely to surface, but it’s harder to hold onto any for long. I think it also makes me talk more? I’m usually not very talkative.”

(Was that true anymore? He’d found some people he genuinely enjoyed talking to, here.)

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura snorted subtly at Gladion. He talked plenty, he just didn't always say anything. (Until he did, that was...)

She smiled at Sage and tried to find the words.

"Using Radiance? I guess..."

Conviction. Certainty. Seeing how it all fits together and knowing you're right. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, what matters is that you're going to solve the fucking problem. You're gonna win. Because you get it. You get it, and second thoughts are a liability.


She took a breath.

"I think it depends on whether I'm already Radiant, actually," she began. "When I'm using it, it's more of a relief than anything. Confidence to do stuff and get results without stressing out or overthinking things. Physically, it's like drinking a pint of water when I'm thirsty, or a cool breeze when I'm too warm."

She tilted her head and shrugged.

"But when I'm dry, it's like I remember it differently. It feels like I'm standing somewhere high up, and I could fall so far... but it doesn't frighten me. And when I try and remember that feeling without being Radiant, it's kinda anxiety-inducing – like, I should be more concerned, and it's like it messes with my thinking."

She bit her lip, unsure if the analogies would work. She would've mentioned alcohol if she thought Sage could relate...

 

[Ambyssin]

"It's--"

Nova had only tapped into that power twice. One time was against the void swarm. He'd used Multi-Attack. And the other... was partly freeing Sage from the machine they were put in.

"It's... invigorating," he said, glancing skyward. The light reflected off the golden tip of his crest. "A reminder of the distant past. When I was strong."

Nova squared up his stance. The psychic drive was still in, so when he drew from his aura, the wheel that projected around his torso was pink. A faint pink, since he was drawing from his weak physical strength.

"When I had power mirroring a legend."

The light faded and Nova relaxed, cheek bolts turning slowly. "But I don't trust myself with that power anymore. I've misused it. So, radiance is... a spark. For that past... aggressiveness. For moments when I need a sword to remain a shield."

He shook his head. "I don't think it'll stay that way. We're bound to run into a foe who wields radiance, not shadows. And maybe then... radiance will mean something else for me."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Sage listened to the answers that the others had given. Losing control. Confidence. Strength.

The chimera's talons clawed restlessly at the dirt. "For me, I feel… conflict. The shadows pull thoughts inward. This is familiar. The light is…”

Now it was clear that despite the peaceful atmosphere, Sage’s shoulders held a great deal of tension.

“It wants to escape, is how it feels.”

 

[Ambyssin]

Nova approached the other chimera. "I get it," he whispered. "That's what it's like for me back home. The shadows block out everything. Makes me forget who I really was."

Tiny sparks danced around his cheek bolts. "But every now and then I'd hear a voice in my dreams. With a warm light burning a hole in those shadows. And in that moment... I'd want to struggle and break free, even knowing I can't.

"But light and shadows can mix," Nova said. "They did for me for a time." He flicked his head toward the others. "When we were rescuing you."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Gladion gave Sage a concerned look. “Are you okay?”

It felt to him like that sentiment made intuitive sense, but he probably shouldn’t assume Sage meant the same things by ‘escape’ that he might.

“Maybe it would help you to find some kind of outlet for those feelings?”

(He felt somewhat hypocritical saying it, but Sage didn’t need to know that.)