Novelux The Museum of Everlasting Brilliance

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen's eyes flickered—a little too blue, a little too human—a million questions dancing across his features. His claws flexed with an irregular rhythm, the muscle memory of a hand that should have had more digits.

"I'd been hoping I'd get a chance to speak with your group again" Ralsen began quietly. "I'd been wanting to ask about the Relic Stone. If anyone else had seen anything when they touched it." His eyes flicked toward Laura, wondering.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura searched her head for useful words, and found none. So... Steven had sacrificed himself, willingly – that was the choice he'd referred to. It sounded heroic, like something out of a cape comic or a thriller. But how could she say that to someone presently grappling with his own death, lingering in an alter-life as a Metang in another world, doomed to return to face that end...?

Then that other thing, about the Celebi Relic... She didn't know what to make of that. High fantasy shit. Haunting. Unreal.

Right. Ralsen was asking her something.

"Uh, no. No, not that I know of," she told him, feeling a kind of dull drop in her chest. "I didn't... I didn't see anything."

It took her another second to properly process what the Grovyle had said.

"Wait, you saw something?" she pressed, taking a step towards him, notepad already in her paw.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen brought a claw to his chin. “What I saw…” He closed his eyes, humming.

“I was looking at someone… looking through them, more like. Like I was seeing them from all angles at once. They were saying words, but it was hard to make out what, like most of what they were saying had been erased. Something like… I know how to fix it.”

The Grovyle’s eyes opened, his gaze sharp. “I think it might have been me. I wasn’t sure if this was normal for the Relic Stone, but…” He nodded to Laura. “Evidently not.”

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

"Fix it?" Steven repeated, studying the Grovyle with a curious expression.

Laura had seen nothing. Koa and the others infected with Alex's shadow had experienced a fight. But he and Ralsen had seen something, heard things. But how...? And why?

"Perhaps there's something about yourself you've forgotten as well," said Steven. He sounded tired, as if the previous conversation left him drained. If only Celebi were here instead of their Relic, they could simply ask the Saint themselves.

Suddenly, Ralsen's quest to meet a Legendary became all the more clear.

"Your superiors are a means to an end, aren't they." It was a statement more than a question.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen gave a low chuckle. “A means to an end, huh. I suppose all of my alliances could be described as such, whether here, or back home." His words held a strange, bitter undercurrent.

The Grovyle made eye contact with Laura. "You asked if there's an agenda to my interest in the Saints. It's not new—I was following their trail back home too, for as long as I can remember." He pressed a clawed hand against his chest, as if trying to reach through and grip his own heart. "I may not remember how I came to Forlas, but there's something inside me, telling me that I used a Saint's power to get here. I don't know which one, but I will find it, and I will return home."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Why, was that a rare emotion from Ralsen? What did he feel – longing? Regret? The Grovyle was normally so opaque, he might as well be programmed. Laura's eyes narrowed, maintaining contact with his. Was he just going to track down every Saint in Forlas? For all he knew, the power to send him across worlds like that wouldn't work in the other direction anyway. But he was driven to it, without considering the possibility of staying here. Something important was waiting for him back home.

She thought about making a quip that the Wayfarers could return him very swiftly to his home world, but no – if he wasn't summoned, if he travelled, then he might not have a waiting body to return to if slain... She punctured her notepad with a claw and got back to her questions.

"So you found a legendary in your world, and 'used' their power – deliberately or accidentally? If you're seeking a Saint to return home now, then you must have been seeking them for some other reason originally. I have to wonder what that was, if it was a lifelong goal as you imply..."

Steven's relic vision had been of a dead mother calling to him. Ralsen's...

"I was looking at someone… looking through them, more like. Like I was seeing them from all angles at once. They were saying [...] something like… I know how to fix it. I think it might have been me.”

"...At least, you said 'as long as you remember'. Either you've been at this since you were a kid, or you mean you don't remember how you began your, uh, quest. You said it 'might have been' you that you heard – you don't know...?"

Something was strange, here. He wasn't talking like a rational, put-together guy, he was talking like he didn't have all the facts about himself. Sure, stepping into another world could fuck with your memory, but still...

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Quietly, Steven wondered if Ralsen saw them the same way-- even from the first time they'd met-- as nothing more than stepping stones on the path to his eventual goal. He could stomach the thought. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time someone considered him a commodity rather than a friend, but Koa? He saw the way the young electrike looked at Ralsen with stars in his eyes when he spoke of finding Legendaries. Steven cast a sidelong glance at Laura, wondering how she handled this sort of thing.

However she did, it certainly didn't stop her from donning her reporter hat once more, digging for more answers. It wasn't lost on him, that they were still standing in the shadow of the xenolith. Mildly, Steven wondered if he should caution her, too, about the dangers of that sort of dogged pursuit. Instead, he glanced back towards Ralsen, narrowing his eyes at the way the Grovyle's passion began to bleed over the line into obsession.

"What an unfortunate way to go through life; forming relationships without gaining friends," said Steven. "I wonder, is that how you feel about your pokemon, too?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen closed his eyes, brows furrowed with concentration. "I don't know that I found a legend, necessarily. That feels like the sort of thing that would leave something, even in the absence of memory. Some kind of impression. No, a relic feels more appropriate." He opened his eyes, staring down as his palm as if he were clenching his fingers around an invisible sphere.

He wasn't expecting this to mean anything to anyone. He still remembered how Ajia had reacted when he'd told her. The feelings that had guided him on his quest were not normal, and that was that.

His eyes lifted to meet Laura's. "I realize it sounds strange, not knowing if I was seeing myself in the vision. What I saw didn't... look like anything sensible. It was too abstract to know for sure. It just reminded me of dreams I've had before, that's all."

"What an unfortunate way to go through life; forming relationships without gaining friends," said Steven. "I wonder, is that how you feel about your pokemon, too?"

Ralsen glanced away. "My Pokémon and I have... an agreement. Each had their own reasons for joining me, something I could offer them in exchange for their strength. We each benefit, in our own way." His voice was even, so even that it was as if he had to deliberately hold it like that.

Kaida's aggressive tenacity. Silvan's teasing and goading. Typhon's stoic, grounded perspective. Tako's good-natured cheer. Vesta's constant, silent presence, her warmth on cold days.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Whatever he'd found, he could see it in his hand. A pokéball, Laura thought for a moment, but no – a relic did seem more fitting. But of what legendary pokémon...? One that could change reality somehow? Or that could change a person...? He could have been seeing his future self, or an alternate self, or even many...

She pressed a digit into her temple, blinking away useless speculation. Focus. He was talking about his team.

"It's much the same for me and my pokémon," she found herself saying. "There's a purpose to each partnership, and each of us gets something out of it – not that I see them as a means to an end. Still, it's a non-zero-sum arrangement."

Where was she going with this? Her gut was ahead of her head right now...

"If that's how it is with you and your superiors, minus any attachment, then are you really loyal to them?"

Ah, that's where—!

"Would you make other arrangements, if it suited you better?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen let out a soft chuckle. “Ever pragmatic, I see. You remind me of someone I knew back home.” His words held a subtle undercurrent of fondness.

She’d asked him that too, but her offer had required abandoning his position with the Rockets, and that was unacceptable.

This time, though…

The Grovyle smiled faintly. “You're right, though. I can't pretend that I have any loyalty to that group. I joined the university because I needed information on the Saints of this world, and the Lanterns gave me access to the resources I needed to locate them. I can’t afford to lose that." There was a faint desperation behind his words, as if he genuinely hoped that Laura would understand. He gazed evenly at her, curious what her response would be.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

There was something infuriating in hearing Ralsen refer to his partners in such a... transactional way. Steven certainly didn't take from his partners without giving in return, but to view one's pokemon as more akin to business associates rather than companions... It left a sour note in his mouth. An accompaniment to a certain kind of envy that welled up inside him...

Ralsen came here to Forlas with his pokemon, and once he found his Saint, he would be able to return home with them, too. Something that Steven now knew he'd be unable to do himself. His claws involuntarily clenched into fists. He wouldn't get to see his partners ever again. Because of people like Ralsen, who couldn't leave the Legendaries well enough alone.

It made him all the more angry that the former human didn't even seem to value the precious time he had with his partners.

Did Ralsen place value in anyone in his life beyond their usefulness to him?

"I wouldn't waste your breath, Laura. It's seems like he's already got his arrangement with us. Using us secure access to Saints and Relics, and then trying to snatch them right out from under our noses, whether for these Lanterns, or himself."

If he had no reason to be loyal to one group, why would he suddenly be loyal to another? He was no different than Aqua, seeking to use Legendaries for selfish, selfish gains.

Steven's gaze narrowed. "Just like his pokemon, all we are is another resource to him."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Steven was right. It wasn't useful that he was right – this was an emotional, not practical, stance from him – but Ralsen certainly seemed like a guy who thought in terms of assets rather than bonds. There was some emotion in the way he said 'someone back home', but would it affect his judgement? Stay his hand? Unlikely. He had focus, pragmatism. (Of course, he'd need to if he was ever going to get home...) That was the point.

Laura took that point, and focused on it, like a tiny, hard stone in the centre of her chest.

"Then he won't take offense if all he is to us is a resource, too," she said, quietly. She didn't look away from Ralsen. "We could work with you to find you a way home, if it meant having your capabilities on our side, and not on the Lanterns'. But Steven has a point – we can negotiate with you, but what would it take to guarantee that you wouldn't flip on us in turn, if it suited you?"

She had a feeling she wouldn't like the answer. But she still wanted to hear it.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen eyed Steven closely, scattered thoughts flickering across his face. The pain in the Metang's voice hadn't escaped him. This wasn't just about their interactions, and he knew it.

"I realize there's nothing I can say that would help with what you've learned from the Relic Stone," he said in a low voice, staring down at his palm. "But, I appreciate you telling me." There was a genuine relief behind his words--he still had much to consider regarding his own vision, but he wasn't alone.

It was unlikely he hadn't noticed Laura's cold tone, but he didn't seem offended. "Is that so? It sounds like you actually believe you'd be able to," he said, eyes glinting with intrigue. "I'd be curious to know how exactly you'd plan to do that. But..." He gave her a bit of a wry grin. "Shouldn't it be the other way around? I'd be far more useful to you if I stayed in the heart of the organization you're investigating. And you have more than enough information to ensure my downfall with them, if you need to. I never told them I was a Faller, or that I had Pokéballs in my possession for that matter." Despite the casual tone, one could almost get the idea that he'd surprised himself with how much he'd told them.

Maybe it was a mistake, maybe it had the potential to compromise his purpose, but... he'd related to them.

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura frowned, focusing on Ralsen's expressions. His tone was, what, conciliatory? Sympathetic? For a moment there, he was more focused on Steven's emotions than she was. (To her chagrin.) Of course Steven would very presently be grieving his own circumstance, missing his own pokémon, friends he might not see again— There were... layers to this.

She kept her voice even, pressing one claw to her chin.

"Okay, I... I see what you mean. You might genuinely have more value on the inside—"

Again, the similarities to Back Home. To her fight to get inside Perihelion.

"—and I can't expect you to compromise a possible route to get home. If we find something substantive, then of course we'll let you know. It's in nobody's interests to strand you on Forlas."

She swallowed uncomfortably, still conscious of Steven's rocky emotional state.

"I'll be honest with you. I don't hold much of a grudge under the circumstances, I just can't afford to be careless with the team's security. The rest of the party, though – there are plenty of Wayfarers who aren't going to like this idea. Ones who care about right and wrong, who put their trust in good people rather than in... negotiated agreements and reasoned assurances."

He'd get it, right...?

"It'd, ah... go a long way if they could believe that you're not so different from them. And... I have a feeling you might not be. Your pokémon obviously trust you, and you're from a world with, what, human-parity sapience as the baseline? I want to believe that means that whatever cause you're trying to return to is something... important. You know – some kinda greater good."

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Steven's claws finally had unclenched by the time Ralsen addressed him. Barely. "Thank you, but I don't need your pity," he grated out.

He could see what Laura was trying to do. Playing the diplomat, appealing to both sides. Except that it didn't matter.

"Liking the idea has nothing to do with the outcome." Steven glanced towards Laura for a moment, before leveling his narrowed gaze at Ralsen.

"I'm sure you'd find a way to benefit from our actions, regardless of what we agreed upon. It's how you've gotten this far in your quest already, no? When the only thing one has to worry about is themselves, it greatly simplifies the equation."

Steven's expression twisted into a grimace. He never thought he'd be forced to look back on his decision with such ugly hindsight. Was it even a decision? There was no other option-- If he had chosen selfishly, Kyogre would have drowned them all.

Meddling with Legendaries landed Ralsen in this mess, and he was going to meddle with them again in order to return home and continue more of the same. And yet, in some cruel twist of fate, Ralsen was the one to get a second chance.

Laura could placate all she liked; they were not alike.

"The only thing that changes is if coming to an agreement means you won't further hinder us, then fine."

He raised a claw before anyone could interject. "But first, I'd like a show of good faith. You say you never told the Lanterns about your arrival or your team. How did you convince them to bring you in, let alone to have them trust you with stealing a Relic from the Ranger Headquarters?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen nodded along as Laura spoke. "You shouldn't be careless with your team's security. Even if we were to collaborate, keeping a healthy distance is wise, for both our safety. I doubt some of them would ever trust me, and I wouldn't blame them. Certainly not the other Meowth, the one who knew me from her world."

He wanted to know more about the person she'd known, he needed to know if he would have done the same.

Something flickered across Ralsen's expression when Steven first spoke. "It's not pity," he corrected. He hadn't cared about others getting the wrong idea about him before, but something about this was different. "I want to know what it means to have a purpose, even when you've lost everything. I hope you'll find one here." There was a wistful air to his words, his eyes, but the moment passed, and it was gone.

He couldn't allow himself to have a purpose here, on Forlas. There was something deep inside inside that wouldn't let him.

"Information on the Lanterns..." Ralsen went on, putting a claw to his chin. "It's sensible to ask for that first. Truthfully, they were all to eager to add new members to their ranks, especially in an academic setting like Anbara College. I had Silvan eavesdrop on their casual meetings to gather information while I dropped mentions of human ancestry and a willingness to go to any lengths for field research. It wasn't long before I was approached for recruiting. If anything, I got the impression that turning them down would have been the more difficult play. But you probably had gathered that much from the incident at HSPI."

 

[Jackie Cat]

Laura steadied her breath, feeling a strange chill at the realisation that she was prepared to come to terms with Ralsen unilaterally, if necessary. They didn't know the stakes yet, but if members of the Covenant were intent on mass-summonings and meddling with the fabric of reality, the stakes could be high enough that she couldn't allow a possible alliance to slip away. Couldn't allow the party's distaste for someone who'd acted against them to worsen their chances of success.

"The only thing that changes is if coming to an agreement means you won't further hinder us, then fine."

At least Steven could accept that much... Maybe something uncomfortably pragmatic could come of this after all.

"I got the impression that turning them down would have been the more difficult play. But you probably had gathered that much from the incident at HSPI."

Laura nodded slightly, brow tightening.

"You know about that, then?" she asked. He'd said he'd heard Matthias was unsuccessful... She'd heard about it in plenty of detail through the telepathic network. Matthias' weird attitude, the way he seemingly rooting for Gladion, how he'd asked after Valere... and then that Valere had showed up in person to fight him. Those two had personal history – had been close friends — and Matthias had joined the Covenant anyway.

Laura made a leap of reasoning. Trust your gut.

"I'm guessing that Matthias had 'trouble turning them down', too?" Her tone would make the understatement obvious. "I've been getting the feeling he was fighting them, before he joined them. Do you know anything about that – how and why he'd... sell out? Turn coat? Whatever you'd call it."

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

"A purpose?" Steven repeated, murmured as if to himself.

It was his turn to inspect his upturned claws. Hands? He should have hands, but here they weren't. A body created for him because of what? Because he thought he could be helpful? Because he'd outlived his usefulness in his own world.

The run in with the Cyclone flickered through his mind. A Forlasan Saint that claimed they acted without purpose. And the conclusion he drew from that... The reason the Wayfarers were here at all... Was to do what the Saints could not.

He let his hands fall back to his side. "I don't have to search for one. It was implicit upon arriving."

It was almost easier when one had nothing left. But... was it?

"My purpose," he said quietly, "is to be expendable."

He lapsed into silence, happy to let Laura handle the rest of the negotiations.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Ralsen's eyes lingered on Steven, but he forced his gaze back to Laura when she followed up with another question.

"I'm not personally acquainted with that Matthias, and his membership predates mine—I've only been here for a little over a year. It was hard not to overhear talk of him, though. A human hero, summoned by the Beacon itself? Far more prestigious than a lowly Faller, here by accident." His mouth curled into a smirk, the last line obviously a joke.

The Grovyle's attention was caught by the sound of a voice over a speaker and he turned to face the front of the hall. Seemed like one of the guest speakers would be doing a presentation soon. Accordingly, the ambient chatter of the various museum patrons had begun to lower in volume.

After a bit of thought, Ralsen glanced back at Laura and whispered, "I can't say that I've gotten the impression that his heart isn't in it, though. Whatever his goals are, he truly believes in what he's doing. That's my take, anyway." There was an undeniable hint of admiration there. The conviction to follow a goal no matter what, even if it wasn't his own...

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Summoned by the Beacon?"

Apparently, yes. Matthias was a hero, meant to save Forlas from a crisis. What did that mean, then, that he was working with some secretive, violent arm of the Covenant...?

"I... understand," said Laura, as Ralsen finished.

She nodded pensively, now morbidly, acutely curious about whatever Matthias' goals were. And Ralsen's for that matter – he hadn't said what he was trying to achieve in his home world, and now it seemed the opportunity had passed. For now.

At least they had come to a basic accord. A gentleman's agreement, or quid pro quo – he would not interfere with them, they would provide him a way home if they found one, and potentially... he might even slip them insider information on the Covenant. That alone could prove incredibly valuable.

"I'm glad we could talk," she said, soft-voiced as the museum became hushed. "Thanks, and... see you, uh, I guess."

She turned to Steven, her brief bout of intense focus giving way to low-volume anxiety.

"Are you, um, okay? Steven?"

Expendable, he'd said. Howling hell. She bit her lip, wondering if there was a way to say you're not expendable that'd help, and not just be rebuffed... Maybe she should anyway.

"Please don't, ah, be reckless with yourself, alright? I'd rather have you as a friend than a martyr."

She winced internally. Fucking howls, that was supposed to add a bit of levity, but it just felt grim.