Sojaveña Wilds Clan Battlegrounds

[Chibi Pika]

Zapdos scoffed as Ghaspius spoke. "Communities formed from arbitrary rules and shackles." But at the ghost-type's question, he actually paused. "There's no one I could prove anything to. I'll keep on living by my own rules."

He stopped pacing and gazed at Leaf for a long moment. "You use too many words, girl." And yet, the edges of his beak curled upward. "But, I like that spark. That energy will carry you far." He turned his gaze upward. "I'm the only Zapdos. The others have passed, and I'm all that remains. How they would have felt means nothing."

At Koa's question, he laughed. "A dozen offworlders all summoned to put the storm of the Soja' in the ground. Should I be honored? But storms are part of this world's balance of power, just as any other part of nature. For something to upset the world's balance..."--his expression darkened--"you were brought here to fight offworlders, weren't you?"

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

If Steven had a jaw, it would have fallen open in disbelief. "Last I checked, you were the one who came after us!" he said. "And for goodness' sake, we weren't trying to kill you."

Something wasn't adding up. He shook his head. "Whatever gave you the idea we were summoned here to come after you? Did someone warn you about us? Someone who was quite misinformed, I should add."

He'd let another of the Wayfarers handle the question about who they were summoned to fight. He'd never made it to the Spirit Nexus after all, and what was news to him might not have been to someone else in their group.

 

[Tetra]

Koa stiffened. "Your own rules? So you don't care to change? To do anything but hide behind claims of balance and storms because you're nothing but a lowly bully?" He could feel his disdain rising once again for this Zapdos, this thing that carried the visage of a legendary but behaved like a beast. Hardly better than Ignatius. Worse, maybe, considering Ignatius seemed to at least accept what he was.

His gaze shifted to Steven for a moment. "We were summoned to help this world. Maybe that does involve other offworlders causing problems, because they have. That's all we know. But if helping involves stopping people like you, abusing their power, I'm happy to stop a few storms along the way. Because apparently the Saints here like you aren't doing anything helpful." What about when they left? Who would protect this place without anyone strong enough? Would Sierra, if she became the Wandering Light? Did this bird care a lick of what happened with Cipher?

Apparently destroying farms was more important than stopping mass kidnapping and experimentation. "How did you end up with the Stormbringers powers?" It was hard not to sound a little disgusted.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Whatever gave you the idea we were summoned here to come after you? Did someone warn you about us? Someone who was quite misinformed, I should add."

Zapdos tossed his head impassively. "It wasn't my idea. I answered the pup's hypothetical, that's all."

And the pup continued to bark. Zapdos's feathers stood up, and his talons dug into the earth. "If you've decided to pour yourself into being a savior like every other offworlder who comes here, you're free to do so," the avian hissed. "I don't owe the mortals a lifetime of servitude just for existing. My power is mine and no one else's."

He turned away with a sharp exhale, and something painful flickered across his face. "And my power isn't the Stormbringer's. What do you even think you know of the Stormbringer? You never met him."

 

[Tetra]

Selfish jerk.

Deep breaths. Calm. Now wasn't a good time to start another fight, even if they had won... "Fine. Don't owe them anything. But go exist somewhere else and leave these innocent people alone. Tear up an empty canyon."

So his guess had been wrong then. This Zapdos was unrelated to the Stormbringer... "I saw his shrine," he said after a moment. "I don't know a lot about him but it sounds like he was cared for. Respected. At least by the Escarpa. Is your power of another Saint then?"

 

[Goat]

Astrid grimaced. Stifled a groan. It was like all of her least favorite diplomatic traits had been crammed into a single feathered mass. Each response was like taking a bite when her mouth was already full--too much to chew on.

"We're not above using violence for our ideals, no," Astrid admitted, pointing at scrapes and scratches on Zapdos' body for emphasis. And on her own body. "But we are trying to do the right thing. Sometimes that means learning as we go and making mistakes, and that's okay. We're giving this world and its values a chance. We want it to give us a chance in return. At least talk to us first before deciding not to trust us."

She spoke level; only her eyes betrayed the seething impatience raging through her veins, making her head feel hot.

"When we were summoned here, we had to pass through... a gate. A filter for good intentions, um, which confused me, but apparently it's a thing. And I'm not saying that makes us 'pure', but it does make us a pretty good defense against random acts of violence like yours. You only heard about us in the first place because we bring accountability, yet here we are trying to talk to you even after you've hurt people for no reason. Don't you see how much better this is? How rare this is?"

She paused just to breathe. She could keep going for ages, feeling vitalized as ever despite the brain fog from being dusted moments prior. But inevitably, someone else would get a word in before she could get going again--such was the nature of animated conversation.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

When Zapdos stood up, Steven tensed. They just got done fighting, were they really going to stir him up again? He held his hands up in a placating gesture. "If you don't want to use your power to help, that's fine. But our whole reason for being here is to help. So why hold those who choose to do so in such disdain?"

But something else Zapdos said rang in his memory. Something about being bled dry. Steven glanced down at his own hands, upturning them and slowly clenching his claws into fists.

"The whole point of my existence is to help those in need until I am unable to anymore. Maybe... Maybe those who summon offworlders know this; that an offworlder giving their temporary life to help is better than asking a Saint to give up theirs."

He looked back up to Zapdos. They could argue until they were blue in the face about strength and what was right and what was wrong. At the end of the day, though, they couldn't force the wind to blow how they wanted.

"It's as you've said, you are a part of nature. A part of this world. You belong here. We don't. You aren't a resource to be run dry. But in some way, that might be exactly what we offworlders are."

"Can you begrudge a resource for wanting to be used?"

 

[MintyMimix]

Ghaspius remained unfazed by the Zapdos's answer. Instead, he held up the Oran-stained cloth to the combatant, but didn't push it onto him.

"It almost sounds as if ya used to have someone you could've proved things to," he remarked with a voice as wistful as the idle wind.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Stop talking, you talk too much, jeez, was that all anybody had to say to her? God forbid she say anything, then, damn.

Communities formed from arbitrary rules and shackles.

"Isn't everything you do supposed to be 'arbitrary'? Not making the best case for people wanting to band together somehow being worse than that." Man, she hadn't expected her eye-rolling muscles to be the ones getting a big workout this battle.

"Look, I don't actually give a damn if you're here to help people or not." Sure would've been useful, no question there, but... "'S not what I'd expect from a pokémon like you in my world, either. But for someone who super definitely doesn't care nope not at all, you sure have a massive stick up your ass about the concept of other people doing it."

She hadn't moved, even after Zapdos had stood back up. He wasn't that much bigger than her, not now she'd evolved. "You want me to talk straight? You're gonna do the same for me, then. What's the actual problem? What's got you, personally, so convinced this is all gonna go pear-shaped that you needed to drag us out here to talk about it? 'Cause if the only thing you wanted outta this was a good fight, you'd have already wandered off after we took you down."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Zapdos regarded Koa closely. "My power is the same as the Cyclone before me. I did know the Stormbringer, and the ideals that he held. He was highly respected." Zapdos's beak curled upward. "I don't think you would have liked him much."

There was a flicker of something across his expression when Steven spoke--surprise, maybe? "If that's the role you've chosen, then so be it. Far be it from me to change your path. I'll be interested to see where it leads you."

The avian glared at Leaf, and yet, there was almost the sense that he'd wanted her to bite back, and was pleased that she had. "It's as I said--offworlders are interesting to me. So full of self-righteousness. So determined to play the hero that they'll condemn their enemies for the same actions they take. So determined to be in control."

"But as the fox said. You're not all the same." He nodded his head toward Astrid. "So, I wanted to see what the newest set of offworlders was like. Nothing more."

Zapdos stretched at length and took a few light hops as if readying for a sprint. Apparently just pacing wasn't enough to stave off the urge to keep moving. He made eye contact with Koa one more time. "You've already proven your strength. I have no interest in an extended conflict, and no reason to seek further battle with you. You did indulge me, after all." So, agreeing to Koa's terms, in his own way.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Nothing more. Aight, cool, buddy, whatever he wanted to tell himself, but not even in the same postcode as answering her question. Like talking to a brick frickin' wall. Leaf ground her hoof into the earth again and felt very slightly better when she heard a piece of rock crunch.

"What if we wanted to seek you out?" she called as he turned his back. "If we wanted a battle with you." Or to get him to spill his goddamn tea already, but probably he wouldn't respond as well if she led with that. "I know the Escarpa meet with you sometimes, or go looking for you. Without having to tear apart someone's property or rip up a tree or whatever."

 

[Goat]

"Same actions?" Astrid recoiled when it had been said and practically spit it out when it was her turn to speak. "Good grief."

It was like she'd said: he sounded miserable. Taking their appeals, their sacrifice today, and turning it back into processed, premeditated self-righteousness. Refracting their optics into whatever he decided to perceive. Like they hadn't been given an ultimatum. Like this whole adventure wasn't one big ultimatum. Whatever. Astrid could go argue about it with her shampoo bottles in the fucking shower if she wanted to feel the phantom rush of breaking through to someone. She started to walk away without saying goodbye.

 

[Tetra]

Maybe we wouldn't need offworlders 'playing' heroes if we didn't have saints like you.

This would have been a dream come true back home. Challenging a legend. Proving. Instead he only felt disappointment. No clear answers. No reason. Zapdos could behave however he liked, because few could stop him. That was it. And no real story about what his problem was (not that Koa cared, if this was how Zapdos wanted to act).

And what happened when they left this world? Would there be anyone who could challenge errant Saints? Perhaps the Escarpa would continue the fight... Or maybe more offworlders would simply be summoned... Steven had made a good point, he realized. Maybe offworlders were necessary, because they could go home when it was done? They could give more, risk more, than the people who lived here?

Koa gazed back at Zapdos, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. "Fine." Zapdos staying away was better than nothing. He could deal with that. At least Xoco would have some peace, hopefully.

"But you're doing a terrible job pretending to be a 'storm' you know. Storms don't care about being bled dry or expectations or supposed self righteousness. They don't care at all. You can drop the act." He sat on his haunches, waiting to make sure Zapdos left.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"What if we wanted to seek you out?" she called as he turned his back. "If we wanted a battle with you. I know the Escarpa meet with you sometimes, or go looking for you. Without having to tear apart someone's property or rip up a tree or whatever."

Zapdos paused without turning to look at her. Then, after a long moment, he said, “When lightning crosses over the Silver Ravine, you will find me there.”

And without another word, the Roaming Cyclone tore across the fields toward the horizon, kicking up plumes of dust in his wake.

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