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Landsverd Site A-06 "Prism Hollow"

Silver couldn’t deny the dark satisfaction he felt when the beast lost its grip and fell back down, although that was dampened by the black flames flooding the entire floor. That thing refused to surrender, huh? And his friends…

“I gotta help them!” he hissed, starting to channel the darkness that was so familiar to him and searching for a way to climb down the cliff. But before he could even take a step, a stream of black fire swept in his direction, so rapid and violent that he didn’t even have the time to back away.

Silver couldn’t even yowl in pain as the fire coursed through his entire body and filled his throat and lungs, as well as destroying what remained of his jacket and the items he had stored inside. He fell as a carbonized heap, wheezing loudly as he struggled to breathe.

“That was… so rude, ghhk…” he moaned, clinging onto every single shred of defiant spunk and consciousness he could muster. “This body’s… brand new, y’know…”

Silver could only wince with dismay as everything on his body had been turned to ashes, including the so prized Reviver Seed. Hence, he simply laid there. Alone, with no healing items, burning from the inside out, and unable to channel that new Radiant energy to try to patch himself up.

…Damn. Even after evolving and gaining all this power, I… I wasn’t strong enough… s-still too… weak…

He coughed harshly and shuddered, seeing the corners of his vision starting to blacken and feeling the violent flames intensifying as his adrenaline plummeted. And yet, even as a broken and weak weasel-wolverine-thingy, there was one comforting thought that accompanied him as his eyes closed.

B-But at least… Kotone is safe…



“Hooray, we did it! Y’all are safe! Now head to the exit before the mean kitty arrives here, yeah?”

Lyra sighed as the scientists started going through the exit. That was a success! They finished their heroic quest and saved those people! Now, all they needed was to get Starr back, and—huh?! What? Why was Virga so alarmed? What did she mean by Jade doing ‘something foolish’?

“Virga?! H-hey—”

Lyra could only watch disconcertingly as Virga beelined (birdlined?) back to the cliff, forgetting entirely that she and the Houndor were even there.

“Something’s very wrong…” she murmured, feeling her heart hammering against her chest as a foreboding sensation gnawed at her mind.

It was then that a massive explosion shook the entire cavern, sending a massive wave of dark smoke in their direction. The ill omen turned to dread, and after sharing a worried look with Anubis (who seemed equally concerned for his ‘Alpha’), she ran back to the cliff, praying to whatever gods inhabited that world.

Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease—

Lyra reached the cliff, looked frantically around, and then found him. Silver, laying unconscious by the edge of the cliff, with horrible burnt marks on his entire body. Lyra felt cold, so horribly, horribly cold.

“No… no…” Hot tears streamed down her face and she started hyperventilating. That was exactly how… how he looked like at the beach, after barely surviving— “Nononononononono!!” Faster than the blink of an eye, Lyra reached the unconscious mustelid and began shaking him. “Get up, Silver! G-get up!”

Nothing. Silver didn’t respond. Lyra began shaking violently, overcame by despair and terrifying thoughts, when a golden feather pulsed inside Silver’s chest. From within him emerged a tiny phoenix who looked squarely at Lyra, its gaze calm and collected.

Ho-Oh…?” she whispered, blinking slowly. The spectral bird lowered its beak to the unconscious boy, and a golden light rippled on his chest. Not strong enough to have any effect, but maybe someone else had said strength?

Understanding Ho-Oh’s message, Lyra took a deep breath, dried her eyes with a paw and nodded, no longer feeling afraid. Satisfied, the phoenix bowed and disappeared, retreating back into his host’s soul.

“You’re… you’re gonna be okay…” Lyra pulled Silver’s head on her lap and held him tightly, almost as if he would have vanished, too, if she didn’t hold him. “I’m here. I’m here for you, Silver…”

After another calming breath, Lyra reached deep into her own soul and dragged out her life force. She held him even tighter as she felt her breath hitching from the rapidly depleting energy, but she willed herself to stay conscious and give him her entire everything.

So many times she had relied on his steady mind and unwavering fortitude to get her out of the most stressful and dangerous situations. She wasn’t going to fail him now.

Lyra used LOVING Healing Wish! A dazzling light poured out of her body…



Silver opened his eyes, blinking wearily as something pink was blocking his vision. A pleasant warmth flowed inside his body, and he could feel his burns dulling by the second. Sight was quickly followed by touch, letting him realize that the pink something was actually fur. Which meant…

“Ko… tone…?” he murmured, pulling back slightly once he gained enough strength, and his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Who he saw was a rabbit with mismatched fur on her face; black pelt on her right side and brown pelt on her left side. Tear-stricken eyes stared back at him, and he could see the worry in those irises melting into tired, yet overjoyed relief. Her longer arms wrapped around his chest and she heaved, panting from exhaustion. Understanding her intentions, Silver leaned on her body just as much as she leaned on him, and with some effort, the two slowly got back to their feet.

The teenagers stared at each other, both struggling to piece their thoughts together, until Silver blurted out the first detail he could think of: “You… evolved as well.”

Lyra grinned, in that appealing way that staggered his core. “Looks like it~!”

Silver shook his head, still baffled. “But… how’d you evolve so soon? You’ve been here for, what, only a few days?”

“Well, huh…” Lyra averted her gaze, suddenly appearing meek. “Why do Buneary evolve?”

Silver narrowed his eyes, puzzled by her cryptic question, but as soon as he connected the dots he let out a flustered squeak, which in turn made Lyra giggle in embarrassment and rub one of her oversized ears.

Alas, the idyllic moment faded away when they remembered their current situation, and Silver looked down the cliff just in time to see a red hue poking out of the titanic Incineroar’s chest, his still standing friends, and Jade… huh? Did she look bigger now?

He frowned, looking at the beast getting herself back together. “Wow. Still got that fight in her, huh…”

“Just like someone I know,” she replied in a teasing tone, earning a dramatic eye-roll from him. “Y’all have done a great job with holding her back, but I think we need another kind of strength right now…”

Silver wondered what she meant by that, but before he could even ask, he blinked in surprise when she held out a hand to him. He looked at her, seeing a wave of determination shining in those brown and azure eyes. “Do you trust me, Silver?”

Sensing her idea through their connection, Silver smiled sincerely, with such intensity that almost matched Lyra’s energy, and he sheathed his claws before holding her hand. “…With everything I’ve got and even more.”

With their minds and hearts in perfect sync, the two teenagers leapt off the cliff, determined to reach their friends. Relying on her Lopunny’s instincts, Lyra bent slightly her hind legs, readying her bouncy feet to amortize their impact, while Silver dragged his free pair of claws across the wall, leaving behind a trio of trails and slowing down their fall. When they touched ground, mostly unharmed thanks to their teamwork, they nodded to each other before going for their respective tasks.

Driven by new resolve, Silver jumped on the beast’s chest and began tearing at the fake body with his claws, trying to dig her out. “C’mon, Starr! If you’re even half as strong as this lousy inflated cat costume then you can break free of your prison!” Darkness flared around him, and he tore into the fake chest harder. “I freaking know you can! I believe in you, so you gotta believe in your power!”

Silver called out to Starr!

Lyra stared cautiously as Silver dug into the chest of the beast, followed by the attacks of the others, and she lifted her enormous ears. It was barely perceptible, mixed with strange sounds, but she still found it: a faint heartbeat, which she knew couldn’t belong to a monster. She reached out for the protective energy inside of her, then pushed it forward, letting it slip through the gashes left behind by her teammates.

A warm and inoffensive aura that said, I’m a friend, and I don’t want you to get hurt.

Kotone’s Friend Guard is attempting to reach out for the real Starr…



Silver (232 STM, 17 TMP, +0 SPD, +2 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
- Walk to Purgatory
- Interact @ Lyra (-3 TMP) [Hold her hand and reach out to Starr!]
- Shining Resurgence (-40 STM, +2 TMP, +36 RAD)
- AGILE Crush Claw @ Beast’s Chest (ACTIVATE: effect, Hex Maniac) (-24 STM, -2 TMP, +6 TMP)
- Crush Claw @ Beast’s Chest (ACTIVATE: effect) (-16 STM, -5 TMP, +6 TMP)
- CRITICAL Umbral Beatdown @ Beast’s Chest (-40 STM, -20 TMP, +5 TMP, +36 SHD)
- **Act:** Call @ The REAL Starr
Net change: -120 STM, -11 TMP, +36 SHD, +36 RAD
Net totals: 112 STM (185 after regen), 6 TMP, 36 SHD, 36 RAD
Aux Skill: Defender @ The REAL Starr
Interact @ Silver [Hold his hand and Bounce down!]
 
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Dave dragged himself to his feet, head spinning. His whole body ached and stung with the remnants of black-and-white flames. Strange images, phrases, danced in his head and he couldn't place where they came from.

"Nggh, fuck--"

Slumped against the cave wall was a charred pile of red-orange fur, a leg jutting out at an odd angle, and the weirdest fucking spike of loathing went through him, a flash of good fucking riddance followed by nauseous what the fuck. He dragged himself towards Jesse on shaking legs; something was screaming in his brain, the most fucked-up sense that Jesse was in there grasping for something, accusing him of something, something to do with Jean, with Mia. Every thump of his heart pumped Shadow through his veins, something, something, something irreversibly fucked-up, and now Jesse was--

--breathing. He was still breathing. Dave forced himself to look away and think about something else. Brisa, stood protectively in front of her father, wrists glowing, staring towards the giant Incineroar. Jade, calling for them: There's something in here--! A shock of red, somewhere within the thing.

Another rapid series of wild flashes of something he couldn't place. Another giant Incineroar Starr. Brisa, staring at her just like that, searing Radiant whips connecting the two of them. Knowing in his bones that she'd do anything at all for her. A million things about Brisa, things that didn't make any sense; a weird warmth and endless ways he'd fucked it up and saying goodbye to her forever--

His head was about to explode. None of it made any sense. The only thing he could get a proper grasp on was that he had to help her reunite with Starr right now - to make up for something, to make something right, to let her have her happy ending.

He stepped up to Brisa's side, paw reaching out to her before he had the chance to think about it. "We'll get her back," he croaked, preparing to rush in there, to dig through the monstrous apparition and expose the person inside (a person he felt as if he knew, somehow). Brisa had to reach her, reach her and save her. "We... you'll get her back."

Dave (175 STM, 30 TMP, +0 SPD, +2 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
- Interact @ Brisa (-3 TMP) [You'll get her back.]
- Hone Claws (-18 STM, +2 TMP)
- CRITICAL Rock Smash @ Blacklight Beast (ACTIVATE: effect) (-11 STM, -23 TMP, +5 TMP)
- Activate ability (Pickpocket) @ Blacklight Beast's Acc
- CRITICAL Umbral Recklessness @ Blacklight Beast (ACTIVATE: effect, Hex Adept) (-40 STM, -11 TMP, +6 TMP, +32 SHD)
- STRONG CRITICAL SHADOW Relentless Soul @ Blacklight Beast (ACTIVATE: Umbral Aura) (-45 STM, -6 TMP, +8 TMP, +24 SHD) [STAB]
Net change: -114 STM, -22 TMP, +56 SHD, +0 RAD
Net totals: 61 STM (61 after regen), 8 TMP, 56 SHD, 0 RAD
(TAKE COVER)
 
Brisa used Plasma Fists!

Her paw struck the beast's face with a thunderclap. Energy streamed away from the impact in bright arcs. Again, she followed up, and again, with all she had. Gods, if she'd only remembered this, she'd have missed it sorely. Electric charge running like quicksilver over her paws, arcflash sparking off her fur, every movement another bolt of lightning. She'd fought like this before, in another lifetime, another world. Side by side with Starr, together with a crowd of friends and allies.

She wanted to have that again.

Then black fire washed over her, an eruption of fury, a soul tearing itself apart. It scoured her, pushed her to the ground, stole the vision from her eyes, but all she could think was there's still a soul in there to feel all this. Starr was still in there somewhere. So she'd endure, somehow she'd keep going.

But would everyone else? Jade's body lay broken on the cave floor. Koa's spasmed as he revived. Dave hauling himself up like a beaten carcass. Those kids, too, those kids she'd let come down here with her, fuck...

...and Jesse. Her pa, lying in a pile of shattered limbs and burnt fur that sure didn't look restful, maybe not even fucking surviveable. Her ribs ached, her blood chilled, she mumbled thickly to herself that if he was dead, she'd fucking kill him. Stupid goddamn fucking way to go, she wanted him to fucking live so he could spend the rest of his life making up for his life so far, not go out like this, not now, no, no, no—
She had to get up. She had to fight. She had to win.

"Get the fuck up," she rasped to herself. "Get it together, ranger. On your feet, now. C'mon!"

Jesse's Last Wish went to Brisa! HP/Stm fully restored.

Somehow, she stood up. Somehow, she found more reserves, aquifers of energy she didn't think existed. She got to her feet, the pain in her body distant, her fatigue theoretical. Nothing like that mattered now. Her chest creaked as she breathed, the air hot and dusty against her tongue. If she was in this bad shape, everyone else must be past their limits, now.

But no – there was Jade, evolved. There were her friends and allies, standing, able to go on. (Not Jesse, her pa wasn't moving, she couldn't afford to think about that now, she just had to beat this—)

"I need help! There's something in here—!"
"We'll get her back. We... you'll get her back."
"Brisa! Save her."

She flexed her paws, then clenched until her knuckles cracked. Plasma burst into a miniature halo around her wrists, waves of silver fire washing up her forelimbs. She stared down the devil before her, then roared, lunged, threw herself into a gale of blows. Faster than the eye could track, tireless, with everything she had...!

Sure, she could strike like a storm, but this wasn't some scrap, it was a fight for Starr's soul. To save her. Bring her back from the abyss.

She'd done that before. Hadn't she?


Yeah, she'd done it before. Reached out and caught someone else in the throes of madness, the depths of despair, kept them tethered to her until they saw things clear. This was who she was. A fighter, sure, and plenty else besides. But deep down, she was the one that went to the monsters and knelt there in the darkness by their side, sharing her heart, keeping a torch lit for them against the storm... Everything she wished someone had done for her.

She was the only one who could do this.

Brisa remembered how to use Shining Whiplash!

Brisa's limbs blazed with sudden Radiance, bands of golden fur shining like the dawn. All was bright and clear in her vision. Even her. With a wordless cry, she threw out her paw, long cords of light shooting from her outstretched limb and snaring the beast – Starr – like a lasso. She gripped the golden threads and pulled, sending rippling Radiant lightning up their length... and all that she felt, with it.

I'm never giving up on you. We're gonna go see the sky again – together. You gave me the sky first. Do you remember? You and me beneath the clear blue. That's when I first felt like the world was meant to have me in it. I'm gonna bring you back there, where you oughta be, with me.

You know how I feel for you. Let me remind you.


Brisa opened her heart to Starr!

Brisa (186 STM, 25 TMP, +0 SPD, +1 ACC, 0 SHD, 0 RAD)
- Plasma Fists @ Blacklight Beast (-25 STM, +3 TMP)
- Facade @ Blacklight Beast (-22 STM, +3 TMP)
- Extreme Speed @ Blacklight Beast (-22 STM, +3 TMP)
- Extreme Speed @ Blacklight Beast (-33 STM, +3 TMP)
- STRONG CRITICAL Shining Whiplash @ Starr (ACTIVATE: effect) (-60 STM, -21 TMP, +5 TMP, +40 RAD)
Net change: -162 STM, -11 TMP, +0 SHD, +40 RAD
Net totals: 24 STM (24 after regen), 14 TMP, 0 SHD, 40 RAD
(TAKE COVER)
 
Turn 5
Player Phase

Jade's AGILE Charge Beams dealt 10+15 damage to Blacklight Beast! +2 Mag
Jade's Umbral Determinism dealt 37 damage to Blacklight Beast! It's super effective!
Jade's SHADOW Adversity Thunderbolt, boosted by Starr, dealt a CRITICAL 116 damage to Blacklight Beast!
Silver's AGILE Fighting Crush Claws dealt 29+41 damage to Blacklight Beast! It's super effective! -2 Def
Silver's Umbral Beatdown dealt a CRITICAL 67 damage to Blacklight Beast! It's super effective!
Dave's Rock Smash dealt a CRITICAL 20 damage to Blacklight Beast! It's super effective! -1 Def
Dave's Umbral Recklessness dealt a CRITICAL 63 damage to Blacklight Beast! It's super effective!
Dave's STRONG SHADOW Relentless Soul dealt a CRITICAL 132 damage to Blacklight Beast! It's super effective!
Koa's STRONG Ganbatte Soul dealt 36 damage to Blacklight Beast! +1 Def
Koa's Charged Thunder Punch, boosted by Brisa, dealt a CRITICAL 115 damage to Blacklight Beast!
Brisa's Ganbatte Plasma Fists, boosted by Koa, dealt 185 damage to Blacklight Beast!
Brisa's Electro Facade dealt 148 damage to Blacklight Beast!
Brisa's Electro Extreme Speeds dealt 96+96 damage to Blacklight Beast!
Brisa's STRONG Shining Whiplash dealt a CRITICAL 119 damage to Blacklight Beast! It's super effective!

Shadow-tinged lightning shot clean through the beast's shoulder, and this time its arm fell from the main body. A followup steel strike, laced with Shadow, cleaved off a leg. A barrage of slashes ripped open the torso, revealing yet another glimpse at the red furred body contained within. Before the construct had the chance to stitch itself back together, Jade threw herself forward, both paws clutching a red arm while Koa and Brisa's electrified strikes punched holes through what remained of the beast.

Jade grit her teeth and pulled hard with all her strength, but her muscles felt like they were about to give out any moment, and even though the construct was full of holes, it was still stubbornly clinging to its host like gum tangled through hair. She was certain she'd lose her grip, that the arm would be pulled back inside and the beast resurrected without end until they all lay beaten and broken on the cave floor... until a golden lasso looped itself around the arm, pulling along with her. Jade blinked at it for a long moment (Radiance? Since when could Brisa—) but then her focus flipped back to the arm being wrenched free, and the rest of the bulky tiger that came with it, until finally she fell backward into an awkward heap.

An unearthly screech split the air. The construct was melting, its battered and misshapen body lashing outward in a wide arc, struggling to maintain any kind of shape now that it was fully cut off from its host. A caustic wave of Blacklight flames radiated outward, but as weakened as it was, it sizzled into nothingness when it made contact with Lyra's Friend Guard. The beast's mangled limbs flailed for purchase, reaching for the warm body it had taken its shape from, desperate to keep itself sustained. Jade instinctively scooted herself backward, fur standing on end. But even as she watched, the thing couldn't reach past the defensive barrier. It settled thickly on the rough stone floor, pinprick eyes staring upward as the Blacklight evaporated away into wisps of ash.

Until finally, it was gone.

Jade slowly picked herself up from where she'd collapsed, still staring at where the beast had been only moments ago, hardly daring to believe it was gone. As if celebrating too early risked making it rematerialize somehow. Her eyes slid over to body that'd collapsed alongside her, the one that'd been buried at the heart of the monster terrorizing Prism Hollow for months.

An Incineroar. A real Incineroar, not that thing that'd taken the shape of one.

That's her? That's... really her?

It distantly occurred to Jade that she'd never actually seen Starr on Forlas. Somehow, she'd been imagining some kind of psychic recognition, the dream-logic of just... knowing what she looked like, without ever having seen her. Obviously that was unrealistic, but it still stung a little that she couldn't just magically tell. She hesitantly reached out a paw...

The Incineroar coughed, and Jade's heart leapt.

"Ngh... what...?" Eyelids fluttered weakly, then screwed themselves shut as Starr hissed in pain and clenched a hand over her face, claws digging into her temple.

"Fuck."
 
There she was. Real, here, alive. Starr.

Brisa rushed to her side, curving her body around Starr's, a desperate and aching rumble spilling out of her throat.

"It's gonna be okay," she said, as much to herself as her partner. "Wind an' weather, but it's gonna be okay. Fuckin' sky above, but that frightened the life straight outta me."

Even evolved, Brisa knew this face. The same brows, the same expression, the same eyes (closed as they now were).

"You look like you've got the world's worst goddamn hangover," she murmured, fondly.
 
After unloading his barrage of slashes until his muscles were nearly burning, Silver rushed by Lyra’s side, hissing threateningly while guarding her from… well, whatever that disgusting parasitic creep was. Not like Lyra needed any protection, anyway: the barrier she had cast blocked that thing just fine, and the duo stared at the disintegrating entity with bated breath. Once the last wisp vanished in thin air, they allowed themselves to breathe with relief and relax.

It was over. It was really over.

“By the gods! What was that?!” asked Lyra to nobody in particular, her paws pressed hard against her muzzle. “Kinda reminded me of that black brainwashing alien slime from the movie Spinarak-Man 3!!”

“Well, it was black, brain-washing and kinda slimy. Not sure about the alien part, though…” Silver muttered back, fully dropping his guard, and he turned his attention to the Incineroar. So that was Starr? The real Starr? He extended his hand in her direction, a flurry of thoughts flooding his mind, but after a moment of hesitation he pulled back and sat on his haunches, deciding to observe her from afar.

Lyra noticed his hesitation and promptly asked, “Hm? Don’t wanna go and say something?”

Silver glanced at her. “And say what, exactly? ‘Hi, older female version of me, glad to see you aren’t insane anymore’?” He shook his head and resumed watching the scene, noticing Brisa approaching the Incineroar and the newly evolved Jade. “Besides, those two deserve this moment way more than I do. They’ve been looking for Starr for so long, and…” He sighed and smiled thinly. “I don’t wanna butt in and ruin the moment, y’know.”

Lyra sat down as well, and Silver glanced briefly at her to see her luminous smile. “Awww. That’s very thoughtful and considerate, Silver. I’m so proud of you!” she cooed, rubbing his shoulder with her fluffy paw, and he glanced away to hide his flustered expression. With the corner of the eye, he saw Lyra resting her face on the palm of her free hand and observing the exchange between felines. “They definitely look quite happy right now. It makes me happy, too.” She paused, then her tone turned serious. “Still, there’re others who weren’t as lucky.”

Silver turned back to the Lopunny, who was looking elsewhere with a worried frown. He followed her gaze and spotted Jesse crumpled against a wall and the Corvisquire sprawled by the cliff. Both unmoving, but thankfully still alive.

He heard Lyra fumbling by his side, then felt a tap on his arm. Blinking rapidly, he glanced back at her and saw a bottle with a dark honey-colored liquid in her hand. “Here! Give this berry juice to Jesse! It’s no substitute for a Pokémon Center or a Healing Wish, but it oughta dull whatever pain he might feel.” Once he grabbed the bottle, she stood up and stared at the fallen bird. “I’ll tend to Lugia.”

What—! Silver stared at the hopping-away Lopunny, flabbergasted. Did… did she really just say Lugia? Come to think of it, didn’t Jade use some kinda vortex attack a while back? The same technique used by Dustin and Ethan’s…

Okay, this is getting beyond ridiculous! Multiple Ho-Oh! Multiple Lugia! What’s next? he thought in disbelief, staring at Lyra crouching by the bird’s side to study her injuries, especially her weirdly bent wings. With far more questions than before, Silver sprinted toward Jesse, and once close enough, he unconsciously winced at the sight of that broken fox. While he didn’t have Lyra’s medical expertise and knowledge, even he could tell that Jesse was looking… really bad.

“Oi, Jesse! Old man!” he exclaimed once he knelt down, nudging the Delphox with the flat of his claws and hoping for a reaction. “Can you hear me?”
 
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Jade watched gratefully as Lyra hopped over to Virga, already summoning a healing aura. She mouthed the word 'thanks' when they happened to make eye contact before turning back to see Brisa already at Starr's side, embracing her.

"You look like you've got the world's worst goddamn hangover," she murmured, fondly.

"Feels like it too," Starr muttered, sliding a hand down her face. She leaned her head against Brisa's mane and inhaled deeply, some of the tension melting out of her face as she did. "I don't have a goddamn clue how you're here or how long it's been, and I don't care."

Jade sat quietly, tail swishing. Part of her was desperate to say something, anything, but she didn’t have the slightest idea where to begin, and she didn’t want to interrupt.

After a long moment, the Incineroar massaged her eyelids open before tiredly looking Brisa up and down with a look of dull realization. "Huh. You evolved."

Brisa chuckled, pressing her forehead against Starr’s shoulder. “Look who’s talkin’!”

Starr let out a nasal huff. "Yeah, guess I did.”

Her eyes flickered away from Brisa and toward the rest of the party, and Jade felt herself automatically sit up straighter. (The gaze had passed right by her, though.)

"Got some new friends?" Starr asked, with what might have been 5% of a crooked smile dulled beneath a haze of exhaustion.
 
Everything was buzzing, the high of the battle thrumming as the beast was shredded, as Starr was pulled from the brink of oblivion and then all at once, it was over.

Deja vu, intense and unnerving. A foreign sensation swept through him, of wanting to be there, to thank her, greet her like an old friend. Blinking, Koa shook his head. Starr was a stranger, a friends friend. His mission here. He didn't know her.

Still, the sight of her alive, okay, of Brisa's relief and Jade's, filled him with warmth. A tremble ran through his limbs as the rush of battle began to fade, and he let himself sit down before his legs gave out. As he watched, he became dimly aware of Anubis emerging from somewhere behind, then sitting next to him, protectively close. (Had he teleported through shadows? He had to ask Anubis about that later).

Ranger Koamaru, or Koamaru. That was how he might normally introduce himself. "Names Koa," he offered. (Why did it feel so natural to give her his nickname?). "This is Anubis." His Houndour dipped his head in acknowledgement but remained politely silent.

It all still felt a little surreal. They'd won, and Starr was safe. They'd done it.

"It's good to have you back."
 
Brisa looked up at her friend, and smiled through her fatigue and stress.

"Real good to have you back too, partner. Reckon you've earned another drink, if you'll let me treat ya to one once we're clear a' this place."

Huh. Odd wording she'd chosen there.
 
Despite her rudimentary knowledge in Corvisquire’s anatomy, Lyra had seen way more injured birds and broken appendages than she would’ve wished to behold or treat, courtesy of her training as a Junior Breeder. So, even though checking wounds was never a pleasant task, first aid know-how was basically her fourth or fifth nature at that point, and having magical healing hands surely helped, too!

Aaaand done! This should suffice, at least until a doctor or something can check her, she pondered while wrapping the last bandage, making sure that Virga could still move comfortably. Too bad she isn’t a Corviknight yet — metallic feathers and bones would’ve protected her from fall damage, at least. And, like, seriously, how does a bird take fall damage, anyway? What did she even do?!

The Lopunny sighed and hopped back up, knowing well that the best folk who could answer that question was that same bird still snoozing by her feet. She glanced at Silver, who was still checking on Jesse, and briefly considered checking on the Delphox personally when…

"Got some new friends?"

One of Lyra’s ears lifted and whirled automatically, and she found herself surprised by how clearly everything sounded now! Perhaps a tad too clearly… she would have needed to practice her selective hearing later. She noticed that Silver didn’t even budge, but she couldn’t tell if that was because he was focused on his task or still experiencing some nervousness.

Well! That seemed like a good time as any to make herself known! After a couple of hops to close the distance between herself and the felines, the Lopunny flashed one of her trademark grins.

“Hey, hello! Nice to meet ya! Name’s Lyra!” she chirped, beaming from one oversized ear to the other, and she clapped her hands together. “Good to see you’re still in one piece after… huh, whatever stuff happened here? If you remember anything in particular?”

She paused, wondering if Silver would have added anything. He didn’t, much to her dismay.

“I know that my friends’ve been looking for you. Like my bestie over there, Silver,” she said as she motioned to the Sneasler, who shot her a glare that was a mix between annoyance and nervousness, then motioned to the Persian while giving an encouraging smile, “and, especially, Jade here.”
 
Dave raised a paw in greeting at Starr's glance. "David Ambrose. I, uh, believe Jade over there is someone you know...?"

Other than that, though, he didn't actually know this girl, did he. Best to let them have their reunion in peace. He shuffled towards where Jesse lay in a heap instead, digging around in his satchel for his remaining Sitrus Berry. "Hey, you still conscious?"
 
“Oi, Jesse! Old man!” he exclaimed once he knelt down, nudging the Delphox with the flat of his claws and hoping for a reaction. “Can you hear me?”

Jesse stirred to life almost against his own will. The waking world contained pain, and fear, and very little alcohol. He made a non-commital sound of fatigue and malcontent. Maybe the kid would let him die if he said nothing.

He shuffled towards where Jesse lay in a heap instead, digging around in his satchel for his remaining Sitrus Berry. "Hey, you still conscious?"

"I'm alive," he muttered. "As're you, Ambrose. You look like shit. I don't wanna know what I look like."

That was good. Really, really good. Almost as good as there being actual whiskey. Gods, please.

He hardly dared move for worry of discovering he'd lost a limb, or the use of it. But somehow, he was able to pull himself into a position to eat medical berries.

He paused, then glared at Silver.

"Who're you callin' 'old', kid? I ain't grey yet."
 
Starr's head felt like it'd been clamped in a vise, her thoughts an endless hazy tarpit. But waking up to Brisa fussing over her wasn't the worst thing in the world (far from it, honestly.)

(She'd... had a weird dream where they'd been fighting side by side, already evolved, for what felt like a lifetime's worth of joy and pain. Their reunion now made her chest ache in a way that felt like more than just the months since they'd been separated.)

“Hey, hello! Nice to meet ya! Name’s Lyra!” she chirped, beaming from one oversized ear to the other, and she clapped her hands together. “Good to see you’re still in one piece after… huh, whatever stuff happened here? If you remember anything in particular?”

Starr cracked her neck from side to side, feeling a satisfying pop in her spine as she did. "I'm gonna be honest with you, kid--the past however-the-hell-long feels like some kind of fever dream." Her eyes traced the cavern walls, studded with flecks of softly glowing crystal. "This is... that facility, right? The, uh, the Radiance one?"

"The Lanterns cut a deal with me; said I could help out with their research and get stronger doing it, so it seemed like a win. And I figured it was better than wasting away in some shitty-ass cell." Her brow furrowed. "Except, something went... wrong. The dungeon got all black and fucked-up, and--" She winced at a particularly nasty throb inside her skull, clenching a paw to her face. "It'll probably come back to me later." Maybe after sleeping for a week straight (preferably with Brisa).

"Names Koa," he offered. "This is Anubis." His Houndour dipped his head in acknowledgement but remained politely silent. "It's good to have you back."

I know your name, dumbass, some part of her brain reflexively wanted to say, except she had no idea why. It came with the urge to dig her knuckles into his scalp, roughing up his mane, except it couldn't have been his mane because her brain had generated the image of a Manectric, and--

“I know that my friends’ve been looking for you. Like my bestie over there, Silver,” she said as she motioned to the Sneasler, who shot her a glare that was a mix between annoyance and nervousness, then motioned to the Persian while giving an encouraging smile, “and, especially, Jade here.”
Dave raised a paw in greeting at Starr's glance. "David Ambrose. I, uh, believe Jade over there is someone you know...?"

Starr gave a half-chuckle, nodding her head as a greeting. "Wasn't expecting to get a whole welcome party." As she glanced between each of them, she couldn't help noticing the Persian scooting closer, all doe-eyed and expectant-like, like that name was supposed to mean something. Didn't it?

The Persian tapped her paws together. “...Hi Starr."

Starr glanced away, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. "Yeah, sorry if you're expecting me to remember anything. My memory's been swiss cheese for a while now." Granted, that was mostly when it came to her pre-Forlas days (thanks for nothing, almighty world-spirit). She wasn't exactly sure how anyone here would know her, and she couldn't recall meeting any Persian back in Frontier Town.

So then how...?



She'd been expecting it, and the words still felt like a cold spear through her chest. Jade lowered her paw from where she'd hesitantly raised it, stifling the urge to immediately spill all her thoughts and feelings on someone who didn't know her.

She doesn't remember you, she just woke up surrounded by strangers, don't make it weird,

Starr was avoiding her eye now, glancing between the others. "How'd you all wind up here, anyway?" She looked back at Brisa and added, "And how much do they know about all the... everything?"

Jade inhaled slowly. "We're here because we got your call for help. The one you made with Betel, calling for offworlders."

Starr cocked an eyebrow. "Betel?" Then the rest of it caught up with her. "Wait. You guys are offworlders too?"

Oh boy. This was going to take some explaining.
 
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