Kivara Starscrape Heaves

[canisaries]

"Neo, huh?"

Matthias grinned, humourlessly. Now would have been such a fitting time to fully inform Andre's faction, and here he was, barely able to communicate with the fellow.

"You know, ðat guy, he is ðe real power in ðe CDE, yeah? Offworlder – same-like you and me, Andore-kun."

He sniffed, looking away.

"He is a... skin-changer. Zoroark, I þink. Director Parallax is just Neo by an unlike name, ne? Maybe you know ðis already, aha."

Doubtless, Andre would have run into him recently enough.

Matthias knew about Neo and his vulpine secret. Very well.

"Yes, Neo, Parallax," Andre said. "Also Ser Iridium and Mercury." He couldn't quickly think of a reason why that information, if it was new information to Matthias, would have been a strategic advantage for the Wayfarers. Or what he was about to say. "I... had a strange feeling about him. Not just an emotion, but something in his aura. It was a bit like the aura sense I had back at home, but different. I haven't felt it for anyone else. He felt... angry, despairing, lonely." Was 'despair' too advanced a word? "Despairing - no hope."

 

[canisaries]

She shrugged in Ben's direction. "Each dungeon is different. Sometimes they seem to 'want something' from you. I guess I've paid a little attention to stargazing the last few months, since, like, barely any light pollution means the night sky is pretty beautiful compared to back home..."

She examined the cave roof more closely. It was an easy one – the Compass. That was the 'direction' constellation, a cluster with a distant endpoint, like an arrow.

"I think, uh. Maybe it's pointing us this way? This one's kindof a navigation one, I think."

Ben looked up. He'd never known many constellations, but his mother had made sure he knew at least the one that pointed north, since that's what his ancestors had used to find their way. The Wise Fox's Paw, or the Kadabra's Paw. The three-fingered hand whose index finger's tip always pointed north. Was it there? Did it point a different way from the one Laura had spotted?

"Laura?!" Isidora rushed forward and doubled over in front of the group, panting after exerting herself more than she probably should have while still winded. "You did end up here!" she exclaimed between breaths. She looked over the other two, and gave the fake-sneasel a small wave. "Silver's here too, and-" Then paused on the teddiursa. "Who's this guy?"

As the weavile stood tall and brought her gaze back to Laura, she found herself looking down in a way she hadn't before, and it suddenly occurred to her that the last time they saw each other, she was still a sneasel. She placed her claws over her chest. "Oh right, I evolved. It's me, Isidora! Bet you don't recognize me how I... usually..."

She trailed off, and her eyes widened as she realized. "Wait, can any of you understand me?"

Silver glanced at the Meowth and Teddiursa. There was a chance that the bear could understand and reply in his Ursa-speech, but both his companions had been speaking Galarish all this time. What if they were both as language-deaf as he was with them?

It seemed like he had to be some sort of inaccurate translator, which was going to be very awkward, and—oh, forget the unease! If they wanted to get outta that dungeon, they needed to coordinate and communicate.

Silver cleared his throat and waved his own hand at Isidora with his claws retracted. ~ Hello Gift-of-Isis! I can understand a little. Sneaky-Weasel partner taught me things, ~ he whistled and huffed, flashing a bashful grin. He thought of the hiss and gesture Nyula used whenever they discussed his potential evolution, and Silver flicked his featherless ear with a claw. ~ Gained-feathers? Congratulations! ~

The Sneasel glanced at the Teddiursa. He recalled hearing ‘Ben’ being thrown a few times, so that probably was his name. Now, to translate it to Sneasel-speech…

~ This is Son-of-Right-Hand. Found him here. Lost like us. He used to be an Ursa-Ring, I believe. ~ Then, he focused on Laura and switched to his broken Galarish. “Rora! Other Sneasel from team! Now Weavile!”

And then there were new arrivals. The wingbeats stressed Ben out - fast moving target, unpredictable - but the weavile seemed friendly. And sapient.

Ben raised a paw. "Um, hello." He tapped at himself. "Ben."

 

[Jackie Cat]

The Wise Fox's Paw, or the Kadabra's Paw. The three-fingered hand whose index finger's tip always pointed north. Was it there? Did it point a different way from the one Laura had spotted?

The constellations here were alien – here and there, there'd be one that seemed close, but never quite right. The Compass looked a little like the Kadabra's Paw – a distant, alternative version of it, perhaps.

"Laura?!" Isidora rushed forward and doubled over in front of the group, panting after exerting herself more than she probably should have while still winded. "You did end up here! Silver's here too, and- Who's this guy?"

She placed her claws over her chest. "Oh right, I evolved. It's me, Isidora! Bet you don't recognize me how I... usually... Wait, can any of you understand me?"

Silver cleared his throat and waved his own hand at Isidora with his claws retracted. ~ Hello Gift-of-Isis! I can understand a little. Sneaky-Weasel partner taught me things, ~ he whistled and huffed, flashing a bashful grin. He thought of the hiss and gesture Nyula used whenever they discussed his potential evolution, and Silver flicked his featherless ear with a claw. ~ Gained-feathers? Congratulations! This is Son-of-Right-Hand. Found him here. Lost like us. He used to be an Ursa-Ring, I believe. ~ Then, he focused on Laura and switched to his broken Galarish. “Rora! Other Sneasel from team! Now Weavile!”

Ben raised a paw. "Um, hello." He tapped at himself. "Ben."

Laura looked up at the Weavile. Though the face had changed, she still recognised the eyes, the expressions, the cadence in her voice... She laughed – with mixed relief, delight, and the kind of amusement that you felt after racking up enough fatigue.

"Isidora!" she said, in case the name would come across to her. Maybe just her tone would get her recognition across? She accompanied the word with a series of signs, hoping to communicate something close enough to [It's really good to see you, friend.]

She was barely done signing, when the Noibat accompanying her Weavile friend flew at her, practically clutching at her chest fur. He chittered away at her for a moment, then shook his head and concentrated.

She recognised that expression. It was Malachai's sending face.

<There you are, blasted girl! Why have I been brought here? What is this place? Why are you a cat!? I demand a full account!>

Howling hell. She should have expected this. Somewhere in the back of her mind she'd known she'd have summoned someone, she just... hadn't wanted to give it any thought. Not if it meant dreading the result.

"Malachai!? Holy— Okay. Hang on. Perhaps storytelling can wait until we're free and safe?" She grinned. The dragon-bat's indignation was the most familiar thing she'd heard in months. Something from home. "It's... It's really good to see you. Can you translate between me and Isidora, by any chance? Tell her I missed her. And, uh, we'd better share info to find a way out."

<If circumstances necessitate,> he sent back, with a huff. <Isidora – I see now that you already know Laura of Circhester. This is the foolish girl who has the honour of being my master – for now. Hmph. She expresses gladness at your presence, and suggests pooling our intelligence. A rather obvious objective... Let us proceed without delay.>

All things considered... this wasn't such a bad outcome.

 

[canisaries]

The constellations here were alien – here and there, there'd be one that seemed close, but never quite right. The Compass looked a little like the Kadabra's Paw – a distant, alternative version of it, perhaps.

Huh. That wasn't quite the Paw... but at least that meant Ben wasn't seeing anything that conflicted with Laura's suggestion.

<There you are, blasted girl! Why have I been brought here? What is this place? Why are you a cat!? I demand a full account!>

Howling hell. She should have expected this. Somewhere in the back of her mind she'd known she'd have summoned someone, she just... hadn't wanted to give it any thought. Not if it meant dreading the result.

"Malachai!? Holy— Okay. Hang on. Perhaps storytelling can wait until we're free and safe?" She grinned. The dragon-bat's indignation was the most familiar thing she'd heard in months. Something from home. "It's... It's really good to see you. Can you translate between me and Isidora, by any chance? Tell her I missed her. And, uh, we'd better share info to find a way out."

<If circumstances necessitate,> he sent back, with a huff. <Isidora – I see now that you already know Laura of Circhester. This is the foolish girl who has the honour of being my master – for now. Hmph. She expresses gladness at your presence, and suggests pooling our intelligence. A rather obvious objective... Let us proceed without delay.>

All things considered... this wasn't such a bad outcome.

Oh, the bat was... psychic? And a new arrival just like Ben?

Once a suitable moment presented itself, Ben cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Malachai? Are you also new to this... Forlas?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Yes, Neo, Parallax. Also Ser Iridium and Mercury. I... had a strange feeling about him. Not just an emotion, but something in his aura. It was a bit like the aura sense I had back at home, but different. I haven't felt it for anyone else. He felt... angry, despairing, lonely. Despairing - no hope."

How interesting. Why was that? Presumably some consequence of Andre's Radiance and/or Shadow, certainly, but the unique applicability to Neo suggested it was also some property of his.

"Sounds like Shadow," he replied, pensively. He adjusted his tongue. "I know he was... interested in Shadow. For his, eh, ARK Unit."

He met Andre's eyes, wondering what preconceptions the Wayfarer might have.

"To... sou sou... To help. To help it with ðe Light."

He heard voices, and crouched reflexively.

"Your friends ahead, it sounds like? Ne?"

Best to head right on in, really. Confident. Expectant of cordiality. He had just helped the Wayfarers secure a substantial win, and at great risk to himself. God knows whether they'd appreciate it, though.

"Let's go say hullo, Andore-kun!"

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Excuse me, Malachai? Are you also new to this... Forlas?"

The Noibat turned and nodded to Ben.

<...Well met, bear. I am the Noivern Malachai of the Megalithic Moorlands. I have never spread wing in this world called 'Forlas' until this very hour. You speak the tongue of Galar – do you also hail from that country?>

 

[canisaries]

How interesting. Why was that? Presumably some consequence of Andre's Radiance and/or Shadow, certainly, but the unique applicability to Neo suggested it was also some property of his.

"Sounds like Shadow," he replied, pensively. He adjusted his tongue. "I know he was... interested in Shadow. For his, eh, ARK Unit."

He met Andre's eyes, wondering what preconceptions the Wayfarer might have.

"To... sou sou... To help. To help it with ðe Light."

He heard voices, and crouched reflexively.

"Your friends ahead, it sounds like? Ne?"

Best to head right on in, really. Confident. Expectant of cordiality. He had just helped the Wayfarers secure a substantial win, and at great risk to himself. God knows whether they'd appreciate it, though.

"Let's go say hullo, Andore-kun!"

"Shadow, yes," Andre said. Though he couldn't really understand how Shadow would help Sage generate Radiance...

He didn't have time to ask, though, as voices could be heard and Matthias reacted to them. "Uh, sure, let's go," Andre said, and trotted on.

---

<...Well met, bear. I am the Noivern Malachai of the Megalithic Moorlands. I have never spread wing in this world called 'Forlas' until this very hour. You speak the tongue of Galar – do you also hail from that country?>

Ben nodded. "Yeah, I'm Galarish. I used to be an ursaring, but now I'm a teddi again." He paused. "Oh, 'noivern'. You also devolved."

 

[JFought]

Silver cleared his throat and waved his own hand at Isidora with his claws retracted. ~ Hello Gift-of-Isis! I can understand a little. Sneaky-Weasel partner taught me things, ~ he whistled and huffed, flashing a bashful grin. Silver flicked his featherless ear with a claw. ~ Gained-feathers? Congratulations! ~

Witnessing Silver's very primitive wild sneasel impression felt deeply weird. He learned it from a sneasel that he... owns... Isidora scratched her left shoulder and avoided his gaze. "Feels like you might be overcomplicatin' things, but I appreciate the enthusiasm, I s'pose..."

She next gave the meek-seeming teddiursa another glance as he spoke with Malachai. His name was 'Ben,' apparently, and he spoke like a human. "Is he human, too?"

<Isidora – I see now that you already know Laura of Circhester. This is the foolish girl who has the honour of being my master – for now. Hmph. She expresses gladness at your presence, and suggests pooling our intelligence. A rather obvious objective... Let us proceed without delay.>

Isidora had to rely on Malachai's translation to understand Laura (it was a strange reminder, hearing her talk like that). But still, she smiled. Everything seemed so uncertain just moments ago, and now they had the opportunity to actually figure out what happened. She rubbed her neck and tried to make it seem like she wasn't too relieved. "Right. Tell her I'm just glad she's safe."

Seeing her again also came with a confirmation. My hunch was right. I remember what Mesoza said now. She let her smile fade and crossed her arms. "And, ask her if she knows what happened on her side of the operation, because I think I figured it out. Betel summoned a whole second round of Wayfayers. Using us as the link."

She looked straight at Ben. "Which would mean that he's here because of someone else..."

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Yeah, I'm Galarish. I used to be an ursaring, but now I'm a teddi again." He paused. "Oh, 'noivern'. You also devolved."

"Is he human, too?"

Malachai cleared his tiny throat, putting one wingtip to his mouth. Being a multipolar translator was not how he'd expected to spend the coming hours. Hopefully a solution to that would present itself shortly...

"Yes, but I have every confidence I will return to my proper size in the near future. May the same be true for you, Ursaring Ben."

He turned to Isidora.

"No, not at all. He was an Ursaring prior to his arrival here. And before you ask, it is unusual for pokémon to be fluent in Galarish, but neither is it vanishingly rare. At least in my world."

"Right. Tell her I'm just glad she's safe. And, ask her if she knows what happened on her side of the operation, because I think I figured it out. Betel summoned a whole second round of Wayfayers. Using us as the link."

She looked straight at Ben. "Which would mean that he's here because of someone else..."

Malachai nodded briskly. He made all the reasonable assumptions quickly enough, and he intended to be practically-minded about their collective predicament.

"Your friend is glad to see you well, Laura," he said, adding a quick explanation of what Isidora had said.

He glanced at the bear.

"I must ask, Ben – who might have summoned you here? We have found my partner. Should we expecting to see your trainer, imminently?"

 

[canisaries]

Malachai cleared his tiny throat, putting one wingtip to his mouth. Being a multipolar translator was not how he'd expected to spend the coming hours. Hopefully a solution to that would present itself shortly...

"Yes, but I have every confidence I will return to my proper size in the near future. May the same be true for you, Ursaring Ben."

"Oh, thanks..."

He glanced at the bear.

"I must ask, Ben – who might have summoned you here? We have found my partner. Should we expecting to see your trainer, imminently?"

His trainer. Mike.

Everything came back at once. The waiting. The despair. And that... that monster that had come to him, pretending to want to comfort him, when in actuality... and then Ben had found out, and then...

Ben's paw went to his side, but there was no wound there. At least that hadn't followed him here. Still, that bastard had taken Mike --

Or... maybe not? If Mike had been transported here the way Ben had been just now and that had been the reason for his disappearance, that would mean that the man he'd attacked was innocent. Well, as innocent as you can be when you stab someone, but then again, Ben had attacked him...

Well, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered as long as he could see Mike again. Mike, Mike whose ace he'd been for years now, surely he had been the one who'd called him!

"I-I hope so!" he let out, then looked around for any sign of a... well, if humans turned into mon here, he didn't know what, but something.

 

[Cresselia92]

"Feels like you might be overcomplicatin' things, but I appreciate the enthusiasm, I s'pose..."

Silver quirked a brow, wondering if he did something wrong again. Did he accidentally insult her by using his Sneasel-speech, or maybe his accent was off? Regardless, he responded with a nonchalant shrug, even if he internally whined: Jeez, I was only trying to help here!

But he didn’t have much time to dwell on his umpteenth mistake that his mind was bombarded by a mix of Galarish and chittering, not unlike a Zubat’s series of screeches, and he stared at the source with a smidge of annoyance. Yeah, it definitely was that purple bat. Malachai, was it?

While he still had some troubles following the conversation, between Isidora’s retelling and the bat’s telepathic messages — who was much better suited as a translator than he was, thank the gods! — he still managed to get a decent grasp of their situation.

Something happened during their mission that forced Betel to summon new Wayfarers which wouldn’t have been needed if you didn’t mess up to begin with, you idiot! and those Wayfarers were connected to them in some way. He wisely decided to let Laura relay a summary of the events at the Congress to Isidora, since Malachai’s would have been able to deliver a proper translation.

Still, did that mean… that the voice he heard…?

…wake up… please, hang in there…!

Who said that?

Silver glanced at Ben, who had a hopeful expression on his face, then looked at Malachai. If he got things properly they were both trained Pokémon, so maybe his team was here now? That meant he needed to look for any stray Totodile, Zubat, Gastly, Sneasel, Magnemite or Abra that acted a bit familiarly or oddly, and then—

Silver blinked, his ears twitching, and he looked in a direction in surprise. Could it be one of them? “Heard company! Arriving!” he exclaimed in Galarish, then followed that message with some whistles. ~ I piqued noises. Something is coming. ~

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Your friends ahead, it sounds like? Ne?"

Best to head right on in, really. Confident. Expectant of cordiality. He had just helped the Wayfarers secure a substantial win, and at great risk to himself. God knows whether they'd appreciate it, though.

"Let's go say hullo, Andore-kun!"

He didn't have time to ask, though, as voices could be heard and Matthias reacted to them. "Uh, sure, let's go," Andre said, and trotted on.

Matthias emerged into the next cavern with his hands raised in supplication.

"Hullo, hullo!" he called. "Speak you Common? Or, eh, 'Galarish'? You be Wayfarers, ne?"

Laura started, and stared through the bioluminescent twilight at the Greninja who'd just made an appearance. Matthias was here?

"Well, this may as well happen," she muttered. "Hello! Is that you, Matthias?"

"Hai! Yeah! Mattiasu, ðat is me. Be you all well here, Rōra-chan?"

For fuck's sake. More fucking Rōra.

"We're okay. But we're not friends, Matthias," she said, trying to keep her tone well inside banter territory. They weren't enemies, either...

"Ah, of course. Be it so, Rōra-san. But allies, surely? Have you any ideas about escaping ðis place?"

She nodded. "It's gotta be something to do with the constellations, right? Like, following them to their end, or finding a specific one, y'know?"

Malachai nudged her with a wingtip. "What is your relationship to this frog?" he asked, brusquely.

"Ally of convenience," she muttered back. "He's supposedly some kind of double agent inside the— within an enemy group."

"Well, then he's rather like you, is he not?"

Laura didn't reply.

 

[canisaries]

As Andre followed Matthias into the cavern, he was relieved to see some friendly faces - Laura, Silver - but then there were also... others. Locals? A noibat made sense for a cave, and he supposed a teddiursa did too. They probably didn't speak his Galarish, though, right?

Andre was about to introduce himself despite that when the teddiursa, who had been looking him up and down, said something that sent a chill along Andre's spine.

"Mike...?" the teddiursa said. "Are you Mike?"

The pitch of the voice was higher, but the timbre, that shyness, politeness, innocence...

No, it couldn't be. What would he be doing here? Why would he have been summoned? It had to be some other ursa, some other Mike he was talking about. Yet Andre couldn't get himself to believe that.

Andre swallowed. He supposed that what he said next would settle it once and for all.

"No, not Mike," he said, voice subtly wavering. "Andre."

---

Andre.

Andre.

Not Mike. Andre.

Mike wasn't here.

Mike wasn't anywhere.

All because of him.

Ben opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He closed it and then tried again.

"You," he vocalized. A simple word that came out matter-of-factly. He needed to correct that.

"You," he said, now with venom.

The deerling with glasses and leaf-hair - those glasses and that hairstyle, Ben should have recognized him right away - looked apologetic. "I'm sorry," he said.

'I'm sorry'?

"You're still doing that?" Ben snapped, the words rushing directly from his brain to his tongue. "You're still playing innocent? After you -- you --"

He looked down at his side and remembered the wound was no longer there. Did that mean the others wouldn't believe him?

"You stabbed me!" he continued anyway.

"Hey, whoa!" Andre raised a hoof in a pacifying gesture. "I was defending myself!"

"You weren't defending yourself when you -- when you -- when you killed him, you bastard!"

A knowing look flashed in the deerling's eyes, but the words that came next didn't match.

"I didn't do anything to him. He was alive when he left. I already told you this!"

"Liar!" Ben shouted, having forgotten completely about any wild mon. Tears began to form, tears of rage. "The police -- the police knew, they knew what you'd done, but they couldn't do anything, so I had to..." He realized shouting at the man who murdered his trainer wasn't going to do anything. He had to turn to the others. He had to get them to believe him. Or, well, the mon that actually understood him.

He looked between Laura and Matthias as he pointed at Andre and spoke. "This -- this man is a murderer! He killed my trainer! Please, you -- you have to believe me!"

 

[Cresselia92]

When Matthias showed up, Silver snorted in disdain and crossed his arms, merely deciding to listen to his chatter with Laura while considering his options. It’s not like fighting there would have solved anything or benefited anyone, and it seemed that Laura was willing to collaborate with the Greninja, if only for the time being. Not exactly a decision he liked, but heh. Beggars can’t be choosers.

“Well, isn’t this world unbelievably small!” he harrumphed in his mother tongue, having recognized the Johtonian accent in Matthias’ voice. Despite the awkward circumstance, there was some small comfort in talking to someone who could understand him. “You owe us a few explanations, pal, especially regarding whatever stuff you’ve done at the mesa.”

The tip-tap of hooves drew Silver’s attention toward the other ‘mon, and the Sneasel felt some relief at seeing Andre. He readied a greeting in Galarish but was interrupted by Ben, who was observing the Deerling with curiosity. Was Andre Ben’s Trainer, or…?

It took one simple answer from Andre for matters to worsen instantly. The meek and timid Ben quickly turned into a fearsome bear, and Silver was shocked by the downpour of vitriol and hatred dripping from the Teddiursa’s voice. The bear looked at the side of his body, probably recalling some kind of phantom pain, before lashing out at Andre with a furious accusation.

"You ... - .- -... -... . -.. me!"

Andre did… what, exactly? What did he do? What did he do?!

Silver studied the others’ reactions, hoping to figure out the bigger picture. He could see traces of what he believed were tension, nervousness, shock, confusion in everyone’s faces, basically mirroring his own feelings. Whatever madness was happening, it was horrible, horrible news.

Frustrated with this incomprehensible situation, Silver narrowed his eyes at Andre, who seemed legitimately alarmed. Why was that? Maybe Andre was one of Ben’s former trainers, most likely an abusive one? Otherwise, why else was that Teddiursa so furious—?

"You .-- . .-. . -. .----. - / -.. . ..-. . -. -.. .. -. --. / -.-- --- ..- .-. ... . .-.. ..-. / .-- .... . -. you -- .-- .... . -. you -- .-- .... . -. you killed .... .. --, you bastard!"

K-killed…?

Horrified, Silver looked back and forth between Ben and Andre, pouring his best efforts into deciphering their Galarish. No, he… he must have misheard, confused a word for that one, missed a lot of context, and… damn it, nothing was making any damn sense! What the hell was going on?!

But even with the pesky language barrier in the way, Silver heard the pain in Ben’s voice, saw the tears in his angry face, and when the bear looked at them, he noticed the desperation in his gaze as he pointed his claw at Andre. The Sneasel understood only three words amidst that storm of fury, but they were enough to clear his doubts and send chills down his spine.

Murderer… Killed… Trainer…

“…Naze?” Silver muttered with a flat tone, wounded by betrayal. He bared his fangs and hissed questioningly at Andre, the low screech sounding like a demand grumbled in a tribal tongue. Then, he repeated the question a third time, in a language and with enough fervor to be understandable. “WHY?!”

 

[Jackie Cat]

Howling fucking hell, what, what was this!? Howls afar, she had not expected this, anything but this. Laura put her paws up, mollifying, already uncertain that she could even calm the situation—

Where is your conviction, girl?

Malachai was right there. Was she really gonna panic now? No.

"Ben. We'll hear you out, I promise, but please understand that Andre's been part of our team for six months now, and this... is a shocking thing to hear. We can't— we mustn't assume guilt just like that."

She glanced at Andre. That look in his eyes... He didn't look confused, or angry, he looked— She didn't wanna consider it. Fuck.

"Ben, everyone who arrived on Forlas today was summoned because—" careful, careful; she had to mind her wording here "—because they'd make good allies for those already here. I don't know how you could even be here if Andre really... did what you think he did."

She didn't know. But part of her, somewhere, wasn't sure he hadn't...

Do you trust him? More than this cub who just appeared today? Why would you? When has he ever shown an interest in you, stuck his neck out for the team, pulled his weight in a mission? What do you really know about him? What was it that Ridley never got to tell you about him before he left the planet?

---

Malachai watched intently, curious about the implications of this... pairing. At least the girl was handling herself adequately. He wouldn't have had the patience for this – he'd just ask the deer boy to his face if he'd done it. Not that he was yet strong enough to do anything about the verdict. If he had his proper body, he'd just eat whichever boy displeased him most and be done with the issue. But certainly, he was content to let Laura handle this in a civilised manner.

"The bear cub is accusing the deer boy of murder," he translated, psychically, for the other 'mon in attendance. "We don't know if it's true. Laura is asking everyone to show grace and patience until the truth can be found."

 

[Jackie Cat]

“Well, isn’t this world unbelievably small!” he harrumphed in his mother tongue, having recognized the Johtonian accent in Matthias’ voice. Despite the awkward circumstance, there was some small comfort in talking to someone who could understand him. “You owe us a few explanations, pal, especially regarding whatever stuff you’ve done at the mesa.”

Matthias smiled inscrutably at Silver.

"Ah, someone who speaks a tongue of mine. You mean Sunrest Mesa, then? To refer to the mission I told you Wayfarers about? The mission which, without my help, you would not have been able to sabotage? You want explanations about my actions, my... audacity, in helping you?"

The smile widened.

"I am only teasing, my dear Silver. I know it's a lot to keep track of, but your friends there did a fine job. As, I'm sure, did you."

 

[Cresselia92]

Matthias’s response was enough to snap Silver out of his growing spite and turn his attention on him. He didn’t quite catch Matthias’ reaction about the whole ordeal with Andre, but considering how casual he was behaving, perhaps having a potential murderer around was as normal as any Tuesday for him since the Greninja just wanted to… chitchat with him?

…Y’know what? Fine, whatever. It was probably best to let the more diplomatic folks of the team handle the matter with Andre while he traded intel and whatnot with Matthias in a language he could actually speak fluently.

But what’s there to tell? How you botched things up after getting an extremely rare opportunity offered to you on a silver platter?

“We did all we could,” he said off-handedly, shoving off the thoughts crawling in the back of his mind, and shrugged. “I guess the mission could be considered a success since we stopped your ‘colleagues’ from doing whatever craziness they were planning, but well,” he motioned to their surroundings with a hand, “it’s kinda hard to consider this the best outcome.”

Because it’s the worst outcome and you know it was totally preventable. Who knows what’s the current state of the world you were supposed to help saving?

Silver groaned and rubbed the back of his head. Think positive. “But, hm, all things considered we’re fine? So I guess the others must be alright, too? Maybe here, maybe somewhere else.” Before more intrusive thoughts latched on him, Silver focused his entire attention on Matthias. “What about you? What’re you gonna do once you get outta here? Got folks to meet and more missions to sabotage?”

 

[canisaries]

“…Naze?” Silver muttered with a flat tone, wounded by betrayal. He bared his fangs and hissed questioningly at Andre, the low screech sounding like a demand grumbled in a tribal tongue. Then, he repeated the question a third time, in a language and with enough fervor to be understandable. “WHY?!”

Andre flinched. Silver seemed to be speaking the same Tohjoan-sounding language as Matthias. How much would he be able to understand if Andre spoke Tohjoan to him? He'd better try, anyway...

"No, it's not like that," he said. "I didn't kill his trainer. I just met his trainer, and then his trainer went missing after he left me. I didn't do anything to him. Ben is just making assumptions."

"What?" Ben interjected in Galarish, having heard his name mentioned. "What did you say to him about me?"

"The truth!" Andre assured. "The truth that I had nothing to do with Mike's disappearance."

Before Ben could protest, Laura spoke up.

"Ben. We'll hear you out, I promise, but please understand that Andre's been part of our team for six months now, and this... is a shocking thing to hear. We can't— we mustn't assume guilt just like that."

"Ben, everyone who arrived on Forlas today was summoned because—" careful, careful; she had to mind her wording here "—because they'd make good allies for those already here. I don't know how you could even be here if Andre really... did what you think he did."

"Good... allies?" A hollow laugh left Ben's lungs. "I can't believe this..." He brought his paw to his forehead, beginning to pace. "He killed the man I -- the man who gave me everything. Good allies? This has got to be a mistake! Like, I can't.... I can't work with him! He should be in prison!"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura steeled herself, hardly breathing.

"Do you know that?" she asked. She needed an answer. A real answer. "Did you have proof?"

Beside her, Malachai wondered if, given sufficiently acute necessity, if he could evolve on the spot... Nobody would be flinging murder accusations around with a thirty-foot wingspan in the room. That sure would shut everybody up. How nice to think of...

 

[canisaries]

"Do you know that?" she asked. She needed an answer. A real answer. "Did you have proof?"

'Yes,' Ben wanted to say, but the word died in his throat. No, there was no 'proof'. But he knew it was true. Because...

"Mike... my trainer didn't come home after he met him," Ben said, pointing at Andre. "And I didn't hear anything from him after that. He wouldn't answer texts or calls. The police couldn't find him. He was gone, and Andre was the last person he saw." He took a deep breath. He realized knew that it sounded flimsy. "But then, the day after, this guy just happens to bump into me when I'm looking for Mike. Chats me up. Buys me dinner. Tries to comfort me." Ben's muzzle contorted in disgust. "Oh, I thought it was nice at the time, but then later I hear he was seen leaving a bar with Mike. And I went to his place, and I asked him what he'd done with Mike, and he admitted he'd met up with him, just like he's admitting now! And then he -- he -- fucking stabbed me and I ran and -- and then I can't remember anymore. Then I ended up here."

"...Wait," Andre said. "You came here... right after that?"

"Yeah? What of it?"

"That was... two, three years ago, I think."

Ben held a stare. "What... happened, then?" he asked quietly.

"I fled Galar," Andre said. "I fled because I thought you were going to attack me again."

"I didn't even --" Ben clenched his jaw. He had tackled him to the floor, and he was an ursaring when Andre was a human... "I wouldn't have actually hurt you." He wasn't so sure of that.

Andre looked apologetic again, which again sickened Ben. The teddiursa turned to Laura. "I... I don't have proof, no. But I know. I know it was him."