Magna City Shining Congress – Side Halls

[Jackie Cat]

The hypomanic expression flatered for a moment.

"N-no, I... I don't remember anyone like that," stammered Garnet. "But it... It feels that way. Why...?"

The lighting flickered, the details of reality around the two of them melting away, ceding the space to a vision of bracken and thorns and chitin. The pale brown remains of an egg case lay as detritus on the ground. The nest smelled of scyther.

"I was an only child," murmured Garnet. "Part-human. So strong."

Another mantis gazed at Garnet from behind her – but she could not see him.

"I was... alone. Until I came here."

 

[Butterfree]

Jean looked at the illusory Scyther behind Garnet, eyebrows scrunching in confusion. Eggshells - was that the egg she'd hatched from?

She stuck to the bit she could understand for now. "So... you were always alone because you were different? And then you found others like you, here?"

Jean had never been alone, not really. She'd always had the others. Others like her. Will. Why did her brain hurt to think of him?

She stepped closer to Garnet, putting a paw on her pincer. "It's good to stick together. My... my dad sometimes says it's us against the world. But also that if other people don't want to make space for us we still have a right to be there, and we can't just let them win."

 

[canisaries]

Roscoe stared at Ben, his expression impassive.

"My boss is upstairs, letting several centuries of composure unravel in a very public meltdown," he quipped, drily. "What about your boss, fella? You got a lotta trust, 'tween you and him? He get your troubles fixed up for ya?"

There was an almost goading tone in Roscoe's voice. Something like a mocking edge. For some reason, the monkey was trying to needle Ben about this point...

He does not know about Mike, Ben... but it seems like he thinks he knows something. Maybe he is projecting? I am sorry, this is not really my area of expertise. Still, I wonder if... he thinks you might be like him, somehow.

"I... sure?" Ben replied, though his delivery was anything but. "He was always... encouraging. He let me rest when I was injured." Up to a point. He would tell him to get back on the field towards the end and push through the pain.

But he just wanted Ben to be a star, didn't he? He wanted Ben to be Grizz, the great ace of the great Mike Thomson.

"He was a good trainer," Ben said. "A good man."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

"Do you even know what you're asking me to throw away?" murmured the Umbreon, quietly. "How can I do it? How do I keep going, after...?"

Lillian chased down the Umbreon, the emotional signature and the fact it seemed like a form her brothers would like was enough evidence for her to assume that it was Gladius again. "I have an idea," she whispered back.

"Do you remember what you said when we first met? That you were staying at a place like Aether because you were looking for a way home. That's it, isn't it?"

She sat down beside him. "I don't know if it's possible, if it would have been if not for this, or what. But if you can't, you'll still be alive. And your Lillie will grieve you and you'll do the same, but you won't be the first pair of twins to lose the other. I lived when I thought my Gladion had died instead of getting away." On the opposite side of her body from Gladius, she balled one 'hand' into an approximation of a fist. But it wasn't an appropriate time to be mad about that, right now. "I can't find a reason to keep going for you, but you can."

 

[Jackie Cat]

More Covenant members were in the meetinghall further along the south wing, all struggling with their own Blacklight emanations, their own psychological prisons.

A female Medicham wearing a stained labcoat was stumbling about, hands outstretched, fumbling and grasping as if recently blinded.

Bobby the gentleman Hypno, in his crisp white suit, clutched at his head, breathing heavily, leaning hard on his cane.

Nearby was Lopunny Julius, Articuno's personal assistant, hunched on his knees over a chess set lying on the floor. White pieces of Radiance; black pieces of Shadow. He was mid-game, apparently playing against himself, or else against an absent opponent.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"I always told my students to be patient," she murmured. "I shall have to set a good example, then."

She clutched at her head, wincing, as the loss of her Blacklight's focus-tightening qualities made her aware of more mundane pains.

"Could someone please... fetch me some willowbark tea? I'll be alright in a minute."

Jade breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the wisps of light evaporating from Saffron's fleece. "Hope you're... feeling better now. That can't have been fun," she ventured, throwing Steven a grateful nod as he made for the lobby to get some tea. As he exited the hall, she spotted Silver and Lyra rejoining the party and threw a wave their way.

"Heya, we've made some progress calming folks down, it's just a lot," Jade said.

She glanced around the ornate hall, taking note of the Ribombee and Unfezant talking down some of their colleagues when her ears suddenly flicked toward one of the meeting rooms. What was that sound...?

Feral snarling and growling. Distant, and faint.

 

[Jackie Cat]

"So... you were always alone because you were different? And then you found others like you, here?"

She stepped closer to Garnet, putting a paw on her pincer. "It's good to stick together. My... my dad sometimes says it's us against the world. But also that if other people don't want to make space for us we still have a right to be there, and we can't just let them win."

Garnet swallowed, looking for the first time like she actually felt like something was wrong – the hypomania had given way to naked anxiety.

"It's always been us against the world," she said, barely above a whisper. "Without the Covenant, without the Order of the Lantern, I... I don't know where I'd be. How I'd go on. I can't let the Covenant change, because what if it breaks...? And then I'd be..."

She glanced at the fragments of egg case, as if for the first time.

"Scyther always have siblings," she breathed. "Where were mine? Why was I alone...?"

Fragments of black, crystalline rock glittered in the low light.

"He was always... encouraging. He let me rest when I was injured." Up to a point. He would tell him to get back on the field towards the end and push through the pain.

"He was a good trainer," Ben said. "A good man."

"Well I sure am glad to hear that," said Roscoe, blankly. He did not, in fact, sound glad. "Would've been a real shame if he'd been the type to not let ya rest when injured."

He sniffed, toying with a cigarette. His Blacklight-wreathed tail-hand continued to grasp and search, failing to find a connection.

"I can't keep fuckin' doing this, man. I'm so tired. I'm so goddamn tired."

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Do you remember what you said when we first met? That you were staying at a place like Aether because you were looking for a way home. That's it, isn't it?"

She sat down beside him. "I don't know if it's possible, if it would have been if not for this, or what. But if you can't, you'll still be alive. And your Lillie will grieve you and you'll do the same, but you won't be the first pair of twins to lose the other. I lived when I thought my Gladion had died instead of getting away. I can't find a reason to keep going for you, but you can."

Parallax shook his head, half as a negation and half as a sort of flinch, wincing at his own feelings.

"Lillian. All I've done here... That's what I've kept going for. If I can't get back, then at least I can build something here. But it's all failing, rotting. It's like Aether all over again. Maybe this is just what I am? I struggle, and work, and suffocate, and achieve nothing."

He glanced around the halls of the Congress as if it were collapsing around him.

"There's no way to keep it together, anyway. It's all coming down whatever happens now. And with it, all my work, gone, like a library going up in flames. What a fucking waste."

The Umbreon's rings glowed and flickered, then dimmed. There was little fight left in him now.

"I'd give anything to start over from the beginning. Anything."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Feral snarling and growling. Distant, and faint.

Distant wingbeats echoed down the hall now, rapidly growing closer. Frenzied eyes locked onto the first target they came across—a Growlithe.

Before Blue could cross over into the adjoining hall where Parallax and Lillian were conversing, a jet of flames shot from nowhere, knocking him aside with a spray of embers.

 

[Phoenixsong]

Blue risked a peek with one eye—illusion or no, like hell he was gonna watch someone turn around and mercy kill their own brother, nooooo thank you—and relaxed a little when it looked like Lillian and Gladius were just hugging it out. Thank god.

The lucario disappeared on his own and Lillian took off further down the hall, toward an... umbreon? Was that still him? Blue sat down, just for a moment, just give him like ten seconds to clear his head before having to talk yet-another-guy-but-actually-the-same-guy off the ledge again, all he needed was a break and not a jet of heat and flame blasting him off his feet what the fuck.

Why was there fire. Why did it hurt it wouldn't have if he didn't suck at this he could've shrugged it off and made it his if this godawful place wasn't stacked against him. Why was he being attacked? Blue scrambled to the side, staring around wild-eyed for the source. Not Gladius, he was still wallowing in whatever his deal was, so where, who, why, what the hell—

 

[canisaries]

Tawenna groaned, and pressed her head to her Blacklight doppelganger. The two birds shimmered for a moment, and then – like an optical illusion failing to persevere – there was only one Decidueye standing there.

"I don't wish to," she muttered under her breath. "But... I shall. It is right to. Lead the way, young man."

Andre nodded. He began looking for the next batch of Blacklight-riddled mon...

More Covenant members were in the meetinghall further along the south wing, all struggling with their own Blacklight emanations, their own psychological prisons.

A female Medicham wearing a stained labcoat was stumbling about, hands outstretched, fumbling and grasping as if recently blinded.

Bobby the gentleman Hypno, in his crisp white suit, clutched at his head, breathing heavily, leaning hard on his cane.

Nearby was Lopunny Julius, Articuno's personal assistant, hunched on his knees over a chess set lying on the floor. White pieces of Radiance; black pieces of Shadow. He was mid-game, apparently playing against himself, or else against an absent opponent.

Andre recognized two of the mon in the meeting hall - well, one directly and another indirectly. Julius Andre had met in the flesh, but the medicham he only knew through Bellatrix pretending to be her when the Wayfarers were infiltrating the CDE. She was... not a pleasant character based on how Bellatrix had had to act. But maybe that meant precisely that Andre should take her. He wasn't a pleasant character, either - his real self, that was.

He paced up to the mon. "Doctor, are you alright?"

"Well I sure am glad to hear that," said Roscoe, blankly. He did not, in fact, sound glad. "Would've been a real shame if he'd been the type to not let ya rest when injured."

He sniffed, toying with a cigarette. His Blacklight-wreathed tail-hand continued to grasp and search, failing to find a connection.

"I can't keep fuckin' doing this, man. I'm so tired. I'm so goddamn tired."

Ben hesitated. Should he really air out Mike's shortcomings to reach a connection? Wouldn't that just reinforce Roscoe's idea that bosses can't be trusted?

"Well... let's go back to your boss," he then said. "There are some other Wayfarers fighting them right now. I'm sure they'll manage to knock some sense into them. Were they a bad boss before?"

 

[Cresselia92]

If there was some way for Silver to describe his current situation, it would be the equivalent of a thirsty Magikarp splashing helplessly in the driest of deserts and with no dragonic evolution in sight. Crowds were already something he barely tolerated and his emotional skills were… inadequate at best, so being surrounded by strangers undergoing a Blacklight-induced mental meltdown only contributed to his stress.

And much to his total lack of surprise, Lyra had a much easier time handling all that chaos, and he had to recognize (with much reluctance) that the way she effortlessly confronted those afflicted ‘mons was very impressive. It didn’t matter whether someone was wailing in despair or glowering aggressively; Lyra always knew what to do to ease their troubled minds. She was tremendously receptive…

“Um, Silver? Are you okay?”

…even with someone like him.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” he harrumphed, waving his hand dismissively. He eyed the ‘mon she had been talking to mere seconds ago, who was now trying to help someone else. “Don’t sweat it.”

“Ah. It’s just, huh, I’d totally get it if you’re feeling uncomfortable and overwhelmed.” Silver lowered his gaze to the girl walking by his side, who looked back at him with concern. She continued, “This is out of your depth, isn’t it? At least, pertaining anything that doesn’t involve scaring off whoever got a tad aggressive toward us?”

Silver rolled his eyes, unwilling to admit that she had seen right through him… again. Jeez, thanks for the psycho-analysis, I guess.

“For what it’s worth, I appreciate you being here.” Once again he looked back at her, and this time she smiled warmly at him. “I’m feeling more confident knowing you’ve got my back.”

Silver stared at Lyra, puzzled by her words. He considered asking what she exactly meant by that when a familiar voice cut in.

"Heya, we've made some progress calming folks down, it's just a lot," Jade said.

Both teens turned to Jade and waved back at her, with Silver giving a reserved one-paw wave and Lyra essentially flailing her two arms. “Hey there. Yeah, I had gathered as much,” he said before glancing cautiously at their surroundings. “Many folks seem to have gotten back to their senses, at least.”

“And we can help more and more people, who in turn can help even more and more other people!” Lyra added, bringing her fists to her face. “So let’s keep at it~!”

Silver snerk’d, somewhat amused by Lyra’s enthusiasm, and kept looking around. Then he paused, his attention piqued, and he stared hard at whoever got his attention. Was that…?

Lyra followed his gaze, wondering what the Sneasler had found so fascinating, then blinked in surprise when she spotted another Lopunny! Though, that rabbit was taller than she was and had no dewlap: a male adult, perhaps?

“C’mon, let’s go!” she exclaimed before approaching the other member of her (current) species, Silver in tow. She gazed curiously at the chess pieces made out of Radiance and Shadow, then crouched down and addressed the other rabbit. “Hi! What’s the matter? Got stuck with something? Need a game partner?”

 

[Chibi Pika]

Why was there fire. Why did it hurt it wouldn't have if he didn't suck at this he could've shrugged it off and made it his if this godawful place wasn't stacked against him. Why was he being attacked? Blue scrambled to the side, staring around wild-eyed for the source. Not Gladius, he was still wallowing in whatever his deal was, so where, who, why, what the hell—

Blue would've barely had time to react to the fire before a frenzied snarling filled his ears. A pair of claws reached down and dug into his side, lifting him into the air as their owner took off down the hall, wings beating heavily.

---

Jade had barely made it to the end of the hall before wishing she hadn't. The moment she rounded the corner she spotted the source of the noise and had all of a second to process that it was a Charizard flying right at her. She fell back as a jet of flame torched the spot where she'd just been standing, feeling the wave of heat singing her tail as the orange blur rushed past her.

Jade spun around and bounced back to her feet, her eyes flicking between the Charizard and the bright streak of flames burning on the ornate carpet. Couldn't let the fire spread, not with so many people inside. She let a wave of Chilling Water rush from her paw, still keeping watch for any sudden moves. She squinted—was it... carrying something? No, someone. A Growlithe!

"H-hey! Put him down!"

The fire lizard turned and roared at her, spittle flying from its jaws and a crazed look in its eyes. Right, okay, words were useless here. She fired another burst of Chilling Water, and the Charizard lunged aside with lightning speed before—dammit not again. Jade threw herself out of the way as the Charizard shot past her, and this time it kept going, making a straight shot down the hall, Growlithe still in tow.

"I'm gonna need help!" she called out before sprinting after it.

Several doors down ahead of her, a Grovyle burst through the doors of one of the meeting rooms, his coat and leaves both singed black. He threw a hurried glance in all directions and first spotted the Charizard, currently spewing white-hot flames at the stone bust of some dignified-looking Rillaboom. Then his eyes fell on Jade, and he ran toward her.

Jade tensed up, her fur standing on end. It was him. Stalker—no, Ralsen. Whatever, the name didn't matter, what mattered was that he was one of the last people she wanted to run into in a high-stress situation.

"What are you doing here?" Jade snapped, already defensive.

"I work here," he muttered flatly through gritted teeth, clutching a nasty burn on his side, clearly visible where the coat had burned away. "And I'm going to need help calming Vesta. She's not responding to anything I say."

Jade blinked at him before throwing a glance at the frenzied Charizard further down the hall. "Can't you just recall her?"

With a grim expression, Ralsen reached inside his coat and wordlessly held out the snapped, blackened lower half of a Pokéball.

"I can't risk letting any of the others out in case the same thing happens to them," he went on, inhaling deeply through his nostrils as though fighting to keep himself centered. "But I'm at a disadvantage fighting her alone." He exhaled shakily.

Jade exhaled roughly, tail swishing. Part of her wanted to refuse just for the sake of it, but...

"She grabbed one of our party," Jade said without looking at the Grovyle. "We need to get him back."