Sojaveña Wilds Silver Riverside

[Tetra]

"...A war...? Between humans and legendaries?" Even if he was sure they were from different universes, the thought sent chills through him. What if his own world wasn't far from that fate? He shook the thought away.

Didn't matter. Sebastian was kidnapping. Keeping them captive. Lying and stealing and manipulating, just like Ralsen. "Sounds to me like he's just a selfish jerk no better than Rocket or any other team, using Legendary pokemon and people for his own gain." Koa dug his paw into the earth and stifled his irritation with some effort.

Had talking to him and Steven and Laura then just been another tactic? Gathering intel? "Ra- Sebastian is holding... Latios right? Back home? Because yeah, whatever 'plan' he claims to have doesn't make what he did okay or right." His lip curled slightly. Enslaving a legendary to stop some war or whatever sounded exactly like the same kinds of justifications any team would use. "Probably a lie anyway."

Now that he said it out loud, the thought annoyed Koa to his bones. Jade had been trying to do something good, stopping Team Rocket. And R- Sebastian just took advantage of that.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade found herself unconsciously nodding along as Koa spoke, fueled by his anger. It helped beat back some of the uncertainty that she'd felt, thinking back on Stalker and everything he represented.

Most of it, anyhow. The real snag was the fact that this version of him hadn't done any of that.

"So yeah, that's the person I knew back home," Jade went on. Another kick, sending a small rock flying into the river. "I don't know what the deal is with Ralsen. Seemed like he never actually made the rebel team or caught any Legendaries, but..."

Some part of her wanted to know. Some part of her was desperately curious to talk to him again, to find out everything else that was different between their circumstances. Some part of her still hoped that she could understand him.

 

[Tetra]

"Sounds like a piece of work," Koa muttered. "Ralsen might not have done that," there was a vitrol in his tone he couldn't completely snuff out. "But he did lie and use us and then try to steal from us. Sounds pretty close to me." Ralsen hadn't done that yet. Were they the same? From just a different time or some bizarre parallel world? In theory, there could be hundreds of similar worlds maybe...

Archie's description of the comb crept back up in his mind Another version of him, a Luxray, standing alongside- but he quickly pushed it aside.

"Maybe Ralsen isn't into kidnapping legendaries here but it doesn't sound like he cares about anything other than his own desires." He ground his paw into the dirt, and for a moment let himself imagine punching Ralsen in the face for the stunt he'd pulled.

"Especially since Sebastian didn't. How different could they be?" For some reason, the question made his gut squirm.

 

[Chibi Pika]

'It doesn't sound like he cares about anything other than his own desires...'

Jade folded her arms behind her head. "I guess I'm just glad that we were able to beat him as a team. So we should be able to do it again if we need to."

That would've been unthinkable for her and her team back home. And well, okay, they hadn't exactly battled him to the knockout or anything, the battle had only ended because he'd lost the game of keep-away. But still, it was reassuring.

Something else was nagging at her about the way Koa had reacted to Sebastian's actions. Almost like it was personal somehow. Besides just the fact that he, Laura, and Steven had been friendly with Ralsen.

She wasn't sure where she was going with the train of thought, but decided to go for it anyway.

"Hey so like. This is kinda out of left field, but those Legendary attacks in your world. Were they... did something happen beforehand? Like, anything relating to humans?"

 

[Tetra]

Koa blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Related to humans?" he murmured. As far as he knew the attacks themselves were random. But beforehand... Zeraora, chained to the boat by humans, sinking beneath the water He sat down, staring hard at the dirt.

​

Spoiler: It keeps happening

Crisis in Kalos Narrowly Averted!
Team Flare's nefarious plans revealed to involve a dangerous superweapon supposedly powered by a legendary pokemon...

Team Aqua and Magma Finally Disbanded
In the wake of the worst storm to strike Hoenn in years, the eco-extremist groups behind the storm claim to have called on the power of ancient Titans to alter Hoenn's ecosystem...

Team Galatic: Philanthropical Outreach or Dangerous Cult?
Looker of the International Police reveals the enigmatic leader of the now defamed Galactic Group, has vanished. Their leader, C-

Team Rocket's True Goals
Confidential informant within the Rocket Gang claims to have proof the gang's goals went far beyond simple money and power. Creating a force to rival legendary pokemon.​

But that wasn't why the legendaries attacked, he was sure. He let out an aggravated sigh. "If your world is anything like mine, you probably heard of at least some other evil team trying to control legendaries. Flare or Aqua or whatever. Humans keep... hurting them. Using them." Enslaving. Dialga and Palkia, red chains coiling around them.

"Like Sebastian did. And they've caused a lot of problems. Rifts between the way things used to be between legends and humans. I hate it." The vitriol in his last sentence was almost palpable.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"If your world is anything like mine, you probably heard of at least some other evil team trying to control legendaries. Flare or Aqua or whatever. Humans keep... hurting them. Using them."

A chill ran through Jade. Her brain couldn't help thinking back on that conversation in the League Headquarters, and feeling utterly powerless to make any kind of argument.

Spoiler: Lorelei...

“Did you think this conflict was unprecedented? Throughout history, wars have been fought to win the favor of legends, to control them, to use them. These recent conflicts here in Kanto aren’t even the worst of it. Magma and Aqua in Hoenn. Trying to use the power of the legends. Galactic in Sinnoh. Trying to use the power of the legends. And it’s not just our part of the world. Kalos. Unova. Always Legendaries.”

Jade shuffled a foot against the dirt. "Yeah. It was like that in my world too. Mostly Team Rocket, but I know that there were problems like that in other regions too." She let out a sigh. "Sometimes it felt like we were then only ones trying to do anything about it, although I know that's not true. Other people cared too. And... and I feel like that's gotta be true for your world too."

 

[Tetra]

Jade's expression told him everything he needed to know. The same had happened on her world too. By now it wasn't even surprising. Which meant her world had a Galactic too... But they had failed. For a single moment, he wondered just how they'd failed. How far they got. If-... Galactic even reached the peak. If Giratina had stopped them.

Koa huffed. "Yeah. It probably is true." It was hard not to feel slightly soured when he thought about it. "It feels like a lot of people are just cautious now. They'd rather avoid the idea of legendaries entirely."

He stared at his paw, his mind traveling back to his own world as he imaged holding a pokeball. Imagined a hard fought battle against some legend, earning its respect. "But I can't stand the idea of that. I want to show the world that humans and legendaries can work together for good. By choice. Just like people and pokemon."

Would Jade understand? She had seen how humans could try to control legends, but as a trainer... He looked up, watching her curiously, wondering if she'd be disturbed by the idea of catching a legend or if she'd get it.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"I want to show the world that humans and legendaries can work together for good. By choice. Just like people and pokemon."

Jade bit her lip. Well, that was basically the idea behind the chosen pact, wasn't it? Maybe it hadn't worked out that well in her world—maybe it was never meant to succeed, maybe Sebastian was right—but that didn't mean it was impossible, right?

"Well, I dunno how exactly it'd happen, but I feel like it should be possible, you know? So... maybe you'll be able to make it happen, after leaving here." If he was talking about it like a hypothetical, then that prooobably meant there weren't a bunch of legends going around making a pact with humans in his world. That or they'd just managed to do a much better job at staying secret.

 

[Tetra]

For a moment, he was worried Jade would dismiss the idea, or outright rebuke it. Not that he would blame her, if she'd had to work with someone like Sebastian...

Some of the tension in his shoulders unknotted at her words. "It is possible," he said confidently, relieved she at least agreed. "People have done it before, in the past. Not for a long time, but they did. I'm sure it can be done again. The right way." For a moment, his gaze grew distant. Bright with excitement that went beyond mere daydreams. "Battle and a pokeball. Earning their respect."

 

[Chibi Pika]

It took Jade a few seconds to process what Koa had said. She'd been so wrapped up in her own head about what human and legend cooperation would look like that she wasn't ready to have that get turned around. Because what he actually meant was catching a legend.

And, well, that took some unpacking. Catching after a ritual battle, same as a trainer would with any other Pokemon. There wasn't anything wrong with that, not really. It was also something that not a single legend she knew would have gone for back home. But that was in the face of everything that capture represented for them. If that weren't the case, then...

"I... wh..." Jade coughed, then had to laugh at herself a bit. "Sorry—not trying to like, dunk on the idea or anything, I was just surprised is all. Not the sort of thing you hear every day, aha." She rubbed the back of her head, a bit embarrassed at having been caught off guard. "But like, I'm seriously not in any spot to say whether that's realistic or not, and well... I know that you're not the kind of person who's gonna give up just cause something's a long shot." Jade got the distinct feeling that she wasn't very good at this.

"So, uh... I guess what I'm trying to say is... you should go for it. Besides... I get the feeling that you probably won't make the same mistakes I did."

 

[Tetra]

Oh.... As Jade spoke, it struck him that she hadn't realized what he meant. Still, at least she wasn't dismissing the idea even now. He was used to it, hearing that uncertainity, but the acceptance was more than he usually got. It was nice. Blake's voice, needling into him. “That doesn’t mean you can! Why can’t you get that through your head?” Especially given the similarities between Jade's world and his own.

"Besides... I get the feeling that you probably won't make the same mistakes I did."

Koa's brain froze. What. He stared at her, unblinking, for several moments. "Same mistakes.... you did?" he repeated slowly. Had she...?

Even as he made the connections between everything she'd said, he was having trouble believing what it implied. Restraining himself (with great difficulty), he asked carefully, "Did you catch one?" How? Which one? What are they like? When? How long have you had one? What happened? Why didn't you say so!?

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade laughed awkwardly in the face of Koa's overwhelming curiosity. It wasn't like she was surprised to get this reaction. Part of her still wasn't entirely sure why she'd said it. But then, the other part of her just wanted to stop thinking about it like the worst mistake she'd ever made. Just... an ordinary, stupid mistake, like getting burned while heating up noodles.

"Yeah, kinda," she replied, a bit sheepish and a bit tired. Feels like it was a lifetime ago. "I wasn't really in a good spot at the time. Got cornered by some Rockets; half my team was out of commission and the other half was off fighting other battles. The legends were fighting the Rockets, and it wasn't going well. My hometown was in danger from their battle, and, well..."

Jade smiled weakly. "I panicked. Grabbed a Master Ball from the Rockets' stash." She could tell that her voice still held that undercurrent of shame, but it wasn't as strong as it used to be. She was just so tired of beating herself up over that night, and for what?

 

[Tetra]

A grim understanding dawned on him. Whatever happened was far worse and far different than whatever had happened on his own world. In his world they were barely around most of the time. But her home had been in danger... She had a real reason. A good one Unlike you.

"Sounds like you just wanted to help..." he said quietly.

Panicked. Grabbed a pokeball. A Master Ball. The shame.

He shivered unconsciously. Pounding rain, spotting Zeraora. Acting without thinking. And Zeraora's blazing blue eyes, boring into him, claws digging into his shoulders..

"Did you... have a chance to fix things? With the legendary?" The words came out before he could think about it. Suddenly an unnerving sympathy came over him, replacing his curiosity.

 

[Chibi Pika]

There was something behind Koa's words, something that went beyond just simple curiosity, but Jade couldn't quite put a finger on it. Uncomfortable memories? Relevant ones?

"Sounds like you just wanted to help..."

Jade gave a half-hearted chuckle. "Yeah, I did. But it wasn't just that. I wanted..."—she clenched her paws, searching for the right words—"I wanted to feel like I was actually strong enough to end the fight by myself."

He'd asked if she'd managed to fix things. Looking at where they'd ended up... not really. But looking at the end was only part of the story. Everything else that'd happened in between... it'd mattered. It had to have.

"I'm not so sure about fix things," Jade began, "but... that wasn't where it ended for us. I guess I should probably say that I actually knew Lugia for a long time after that. Kind of a lot happened between us." She glanced back in the direction of Frontier Town, suddenly aware of how the afternoon had vanished before she knew it. Stupid winter...

"Maybe we could grab a hot drink back in town, if you wanna hear the whole story?"

 

[Tetra]

"Yeah, I did. But it wasn't just that. I wanted..."—she clenched her paws, searching for the right words—"I wanted to feel like I was actually strong enough to end the fight by myself."

Koa nodded, looking off into the distance. Strong enough. "I understand," he murmured. All the times he'd trained, pushed himself, fought for something... If he wasn't strong enough, he'd never be able to accomplish his goal.

At the mention of Lugia, he whipped back around to stare at Jade, his jaw dropping. "Lugia!?" He quickly composed himself. Sick. Sort of, he reflected. It sounded... hard. More complicated than his world. Still... Lugia. One of Johto's two great phoenixes. He was almost a little jealous. Only the memory of Zeraora quashed that.

When he finally replied, his excitement was tempered by a more serious interest as he rose to his paws to head back towards town. "Yeah that sounds good. I want to hear everything!"

He shot Jade a friendly grin. "Plus I could go for a cider. My treat."

 

[Chibi Pika]

Jade grinned back. "Sure thing."

She wasn't totally sure why, but the idea of sharing the long, complicated, mess felt easier now than it had since she'd arrived. Maybe it was because she'd already had the story dragged out by the Comb anyway. Maybe it was because the pain wasn't as fresh or as raw as it had been, and several months of being cut off from a permanent psychic reminder of her failures that she had to pretend to not notice was itself a relief. Whatever the reason... she was actually kind of looking forward to talking about it now. And she got the feeling that Koa would get it.

"So yeah, Master Ball. Nnnot my finest moment. It worked, but like... sooner or later I'd have to open it, and I went with sooner, which was... maybe not the greatest idea..." If there were a worse way to start off a partnership, Jade wasn't sure what it was.

But the fact that she could actually have an awkward laugh about just how bad it was while the two of them walked back to town... that itself felt like a win.

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