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Frontier Town Sand Veil Archives

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Koa's eyes widened. What did that mean then? Was she just strangely knowledgeable in her past life, or from there? And why did that move look like the Red Chain?

"It's... from my home. Or rather, a land called Sinnoh." He supposed technically several other worlds seemed to have a Sinnoh... "There's three lakes. Valor, Acuity, and Verity. And three spirits who lived there. Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit."

He searched Bellatrix's gaze. "Is there... anything else you remember?"
 
"I see." That also seemed to have rung familiar. She ran a claw down her muzzle as she tried to pry the memory from the depths. "Whichever Spirit you followed was the one you lived closest to," she said, uncertain of the details but she pushed onwards. "There was a saying that reflected this. 'Show your plume by Verity, unsheathe your claws by Acuity, and bear your fangs by Valour.'"

It was close, so very close but...

Bellatrix flipped through the pages of her book. "Apparently there was some old stories here on Forlas where there was a similar trio that represented those virtues in a country to the north of here called 'Tyrrier'. But beyond that, not much," Bellatrix admitted with a small sigh.

"I can recall the sound of waves and the scent of the sea - I never particularly enjoyed the arid climate here - and..." There was a long pause as she considered whether or not to share more beyond the broad strokes but if she was trying to unearth a stream of memories, she did not wish to disrupt that flow. "...A man. A sailor, named Altair," she finished.

There was another brief pause and then, "Could you tell me more of this 'Sinnoh'?"
 
Inkedust said:
Show your plume by Verity, unsheathe your claws by Acuity, and bear your fangs by Valour.'
Click to expand...
Koa blinked and suppressed a shudder. Wasn't that...

He pushed the though aside in favor of considering what she said. Altair wasn't a familiar name to him, but the other parts...

Sunyshore was right on the ocean. Canalave too. Did she call one of those cities home? A sudden pang of longing struck Koa as he thought of Canalave.

"That sounds a lot like the legendaries I knew," he mused. He paused, trying to figure out where to start. "Well... There's a couple cities near the ocean. Sunyshore. And Canalave, my home. It's a lot colder than here, and its mountainous. Actually the main mountain range basically divides the region in half. And right in the center is the biggest one of all, Mt Coronet. They say legends themselves rest at the peak, at the Spear Pillar." A note of longing entered his voice.

He gazed into the distance. What else could he tell her? History had never been his strong suite, and he could hardly give her a proper explanation of anything. "Aside from the three spirits, there's the three dragons. Dialga, Palkia and... Giratina. Arceus the Original One formed them." It hadn't directly occurred to him before (unsurpsing given he'd tried to avoid her) but between the behavior, the memories she spoke of and her species, maybe...

"And long time ago Sinnoh was actually called Hisui. Your species, Zoroark, are usually dark types. At least where I'm from. But the ones that lived in Hisui were more like you I think..." It wasn't rambling if Bellatrix asked, right? "Do any of those names sound familiar?"
 
Bellatrix's ears perked as she listened more to Koa's explanation but they quickly fell as her mind hit yet another wall. She fell back into her seat, brushing her mane out of her face and folding her arms with frustration.

"Some of it," she confirmed. "The climate and geography rings familiar and I do know that the my subspecies still existed, albeit it rarely." How else was she able to recognise herself when she had first arrived on Kythra? "Not having the greatest of reputations regardless of where you are is a common theme I have noticed. However, the rest is drawing a blank."

Bellatrix paused as she considered what else to say. She looked at her gems and thought back to her recent conversation with Nova. The chimera had knowledge of the form her Embargo took and so did Koa based on the dread he showed around them. She wanted to ask, she was about to ask but her tongue held with hesitation, did she really want to push him more than she already did?
 
Nothing. Koa frowned slightly. He wanted to help Bellatrix, but it was hard to know what details could possibly translate to her world. If she even was from Hisui, she could have been from anywhere, or some place that didn't even exist.

The silence felt like it had suddenly grown uncomfortable. He caught her eyeing her gems, and he found himself staring at the bookshelf behind her instead. If his Mach Punch came from his training back home, what did that mean about the Red Chain? She'd helped him in the fight, and he wanted to return the favor somehow. But how could he help amnesia?

His eyes widened and he focused back on Bellatrix. "Do you know anything about the lake spirits powers? Uxie, the one who lives at Lake Acuity, is called the Being of Knowledge where I'm from. Supposedly it can erase memories of anyone who looks into its eyes." He had no idea how true the legend was, but if it was... could that be tied to her amnesia? "The three of them together were said to give humans in my world knowledge, emotion and willpower. And were extremely powerful together."
 
That caught Bellatrix's attention and left her thinking. Hints about the Spirits seemed to be doing the most when it came to trying to unearth the buried memories. "Yes, that does sound correct," she said, sitting straighter. "It brings to mind the only memory that survived when I had awoken besides my name; a pair of voices having a conversation, who I believe to be responsible for the circumstances I had faced before my arrival on Forlas."

Perhaps one of those voices did belong to Uxie or was closely associated with the spirit. She looked down at her book, an idea forming in her head. Could the Forlasian version or at the very least, a Relic of the spirit bring to light more? They were just memories, after all.

"That Relic from the Oasis," Bellatrix then said. "Beyond being able to cure Shadows and you of your infection, did it have much else of an effect? Something that further reflected the Saint's capabilities?"
 
"I'm not sure. Sybil didn't mention anything conclusive. The way she described it, it could slow or accelerate aura. In my world I think the oasis and the stone are related to a legendary called Celebi. It guarded a placed called Ilex Forest and could travel through time."

He narrowed his eyes in thought. What else had happened? All he could remember was the spectre of Alex and the shadow being ripped from him... Except nobody had acted like they'd been gone for several moments, had they? "When we were cured, Archie Mhynt and I saw some kind of shadowy Alex thing. And we fought it. But once we defeated it and got back, it was like no time passed at all."

The memory made him shudder. "Maybe some of its time effects caused that. So if Uxie is here, or its Relic, maybe that could restore your memories. Or even the other lake spirits..." he mused.

After a moment's hesitation, he ventured another question. "Do you remember what the voices said?"
 
A nod, that was enough for her theory to have some merit behind it. "Then seeking it or the other Spirits out will likely become a priority of mine," Bellatrix said, returning to her cool neutrality but a notable edge of hope clung to her tone.

There was a brief pause at Koa's following question but then, a second nod. "'Why me?'" she answered. "They were talking about why they wanted me over anyone else for whatever scheme they had in mind." She paused to take a deep breath, then continued, "Something to do with 'tipping the scales of fate' lest the world be doomed to silence."

She let out a small, sharp laugh. It was an odd thing to leave without context so can of wurmple it was. "It sounded ridiculous to the highest degree at the time, and what followed was even more unbelievable. I do not doubt that everyone here would have shared in my disbelief had they not gone through something similar with Betel." She quickly gestured her head at Koa's elecktrike form, thinking that it would have been enough to get the point across.
 
"I wouldn't mind helping find other spirits." He blurted the offer befor he could think further, mostly because the idea of searching out other Saints was impossible to resist. Even if the Oasis had been miserable and Luz probably didn't like him.

Probably not a good idea. Besides, he had no idea if Bellatrix would even want him around for starters. He swallowed. "Or uh. Actually Sybil might be able to help. She knows a lot about divine dungeons. I could show you the books I've found here about Saints. Maybe the Rangers might know something too."

It sounded like Bellatrix had an experience similar to Archie then. She'd lived in another world before the one she'd come from. The idea of being summoned twice was weird. He wasn't sure he'd have immediately believed it if he were back home. But why? What did tipping the scales of fate even mean? How had she been summoned?

"I've heard myths in my world about traveling to other worlds but even those are pretty fictional," he murmured thoughtfully. "Some legendaries live in other realms. But I don't think I've ever heard of the lake spirits summoning someone like that but maybe...?"

His pelt prickled and he found himself trying not to look at Bellatrix's gems. The chains could summon. Maybe whatever he knew could help though. Besides, he could explain myths and stories to someone perfectly fine.
 
"Based on the descriptions of the Oasis, I do not think I would be able to do it alone. I would appreciate the help." Bellatrix couldn't help but allow a small smile to tug at her lips. To think that she would have staunchly refused any help had she been offered the same thing several months ago. "Sybil knowing the locations of other Divine Dungeons would not surprise me given that they're her speciality so I do imagine that it would be worth to ask."

She then nodded at Koa, inviting him to continue.
 
He hadn't actually expected Bellatrix to agree, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She was more tolerable than he'd assumed based on their first meeting.

It was another moment before he continued, as he gathered his thoughts. If it could be helpful somehow maybe it was worth it. When he spoke, there was the faintest note of detachedness to his voice. "According to history in my world, the three lake spirits have a power, to calm legends. And it was said that from them certain... red chains could be made."

He swallowed. "Not unlike your chains. They could... summon certain legendaries. But I don't know if that's related at all to what happened to you."
 
"Nova told me something similar," Bellatrix hummed. "That they could also 'bind the world' although the summoning aspect is new to me." Her head tilted to the side in thought. Even if Koa had his doubts, was it something that happened to her? Something that reflected on her in the form of her gems? She had never evolved on Kythra so she couldn't know how she'd look as a zoroark there.

"My question is, if those chains have had little to do with me prior to all this, why now on Forlas? What happened between then and now?" She traced the edges of one of her gems with a claw. "But I can tell, by your hesitance and the way you and Nova speak of them, neither you or Nova had a very good experience with them. What is it that makes them so dreaded?"
 
Bind the world? That couldn't be literal. No matter, he had no interest in knowing what Nova meant by that.

Koa let out a sigh and studied the table for a moment. "They're used to control legendaries. Bend them to someone's will do they can use them to do whatever they want." He shrugged. "Or at least, where I'm from they can. But I don't know what they mean here."

Holding up his paw, he flexed, studying it. "I can use moves here Electrike can't. Like Mach Punch. I think its tied to my soul back home somehow, so the... move might mean something to you, maybe." Hopefully nothing terrible.

It was hard not to think back on the fight, and what Bellatrix had done. What he'd asked. A knot formed in his chest. "Uh. Thank you, by the way. For... helping during the fight."
 
A thoughtful nod. It seemed that whatever the reason was for her Embargo and its appearance, it would be something that Bellatrix would stew on more later.

"I took no pleasure in it," she then said, "but you're welcome. I am just relieved that such an action won't be necessary in future." Assuming, of course, that Koa would not get himself reinfected. Then again, a cure was now readily available and she doubted that Alexander would trick him so easily in the future. She paused for a brief moment only to ask, "Why was it that you asked me to do it when it instills such a strong reaction in you? Why not another Wayfarer who you thought could fulfill a similar role?"
 
Koa's gaze fell at Bellatrix's question. Why had he... Deep down, he knew why, but he didn't know how to explain it to Bellatrix. The weight of the fear of hurting someone on the team had been so strong, along with the desperation. Shame... For a moment, he considered giving and excuse. But he owed her some honesty, didn't he?

It was several moments before he spoke. His voice was reserved when he did. "Because I trusted that you'd follow through, if it came to it. I told the others too but I was worried they might hesitate. I believed that you wouldn't be held back." The words stung now for some reason.

"If for some reason I needed to be stopped I thought that was the best way." The way he deserved. Because Bellatrix wasn't a friend. Because she'd used it before. It'd felt necessary at the time, but talking to her now, he felt uneasy.

He shook his head, pushing down the rising tide of uncomfortable feelings and met her gaze neutrally. "I'm sorry I asked that of you though. As you said, it won't need to happen again."
 
He was that afraid about what might've happened, wasn't he? It was true, Bellatrix was not one to hesitate when it came to taking action, especially if it was for the sake of the team. To that extent, she could understand Koa's thought process but there were others on the team that were similarly no-nonsense such as Mhynt (especially given her background). There had to be something a little deeper there but she elected not to comment on that, beyond a simple, "I see." What was done was done and that was the choice he made.

She held up a paw at his apology, signaling him to pause. "It is not necessary," she said. "I agreed to do so as I wish to do what I can in order to aid the Wayfarers. Although I may take the opportunity to mention that I was surprised that Alexander's control only extended as far as your initial attack on Mhynt when he had clearly expected more." She supposed that she was glad that the circumstances of what had transpired had aligned in their favour. She wasn't entirely certain what would have happened if Alexander hadn't broken those chains himself.
 
Koa was relieved to move to different topic, even if it was an adjacent one. For a moment he wished he could explain better somehow but he didn't want to think about it. It was over and didn't matter.

"Me too." It'd been something he'd thought about constantly in the aftermath. he found himself staring intently at at the table, his mind going back to the fight again. "I don't get it... I don't know what stopped it. It didn't feel different, but I didn't actually feel any... urge to attack anyone. Even if none of us are tainted anymore it'd be useful to know how to disrupt his powers."
 
"It could be that he is simply not as powerful as he thought, even after his display of power during the initial attack or..." She knitted her claws together. "The Radiance that Luz had bestowed upon us ended up counteracting some of it, which tells me a few things. Namely that we still have a window of opportunity to halt whatever Alexander is planning in his tracks before he garners too much power and that he cannot gain much of a significant advantage against us due to our capabilities to wield Radiance."

She leaned back. "I will at least see how far his influence stems as I will be going to investigate the Mystery Dungeon where he is apparently operating from in the near future."
 
Why then had it worked before? He'd still used that power before he struck Mhynt? So what changed. Maybe... I wonder if it was because too much radiance built up in me...?" he shook his head, then shrugged.

Koa nodded. "Good luck," he said earnestly. He'd heard about the expedition. Part of him desperately wanted to go, to help. The rest of him wondered if he should go. After everything that happened, maybe letting the other Wayfarers handle it would be better. Even though they were cured he didn't want to get in the way again.

A sudden thought occured to him. He bit his lip. "If I don't join you could you... keep an eye out for that Drapion?" As stupid as it was he couldn't let go of it. "Only if you're not in danger of course. You don't have to though. I'm just curious about Alex and his powers. Mhynt suspected he could use the people he captures as batteries." Even saying the word made him shudder slightly.
 
Bellatrix nodded. "I could, although I cannot promise that anything could be done at the moment if I do see it there." Mhynt's observation did seem to check out given that the shadow pillars that he had summoned ended up being the lost Frontier Town guards. Was it fate or irony that the Wayfarers would need to do another large-scale operation to stop someone from stopping the spread of Shadow pokémon across Forlas so soon after dealing with Terminal Two?
 
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