Snippet #2735658

“Let’s see if you can try this on for size,” Vorpal entered the living room one morning. Hovering above his palm, he held up what appeared to be two smooth metal balls.

“How’d you get those?” Elder asked.

Vorpal jerked a head towards Jolder, who had also entered. “Sssuch sssweethearts,” she noted aloud.

Suspecting foul play- and not the attack kind- Elder merely snickered. Radegast glanced away from his work in the kitchen. “What’re those?”

“Meditation balls,” Vorpal replied, “The sort your human psychics use to hone their focus.” He then started turning the two balls around and around in one hand. “In your case, they’d be perfect to really test your control.”

Radegast nodded, but returned to the stew he was cooking. His gauntlet-clad hand carefully held onto a wooden spoon as it stirred the assortment of thick-chopped vegetables and whatever meat Jolder and the others managed to scrounge. “Thanks, man.”

“I’ll take them,” Elder extended his relatively tiny digits, and brought the meditation balls upstairs.

“Something troubling you?” Vorpal asked.

“You mean beyond the lingering shock of death,” Radegast chuckled in a forced way.

“It must hurt, really,” Vorpal replied, “You’ve always been one to trust a stranger… At least, to trust a stranger not to be so… I’m not even sure how to describe that human, the Marine.”

“He is an extremist,” Radegast added, “He cares deeply for his crew, but… I can’t help but feel anger whenever I think about him.”

“I think it’s understanda-“

“He’s like me,” Radegast interrupted. Vorpal paused, somewhat puzzled. “IQ of 3000 and you’re not sure why?” The Gallade smirked.

“There are differences.”

“He lives by his own code, he cares only for his own, and he’s got an ultimate goal- to live comfortably.”

“You do not kill people who get in your way.”

“Sometimes I wonder if I should have…” Radegast produced the stirring spoon with a bit of broth and taste-tested it. “If I’d struck back sooner, then maybe Maxin would…”

“The Psychic Rebellion are as numerous as they are egotistical,” Vorpal spat at the ground at the mention of their name. “By your stories, what you did was buy enough time for your Uncle to arrive to do some major damage. Tactically speaking, there wasn’t anything you could’ve done to create a better result.”

“Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

“You need positive feelings to perform your abilities properly,” Vorpal replied.

“So yes.” Radegast continued stirring after finding the stew satisfactory.

“Is it working?”

“… Kinda…” The Gallade reached for a series of shakers made from bamboo. He sniffed each and dropped a dash of some into the pot.

“Not even Celebi can change the past,” Vorpal pat Radegast’s back, “Focus on the future.”

“Heh… Now I’m wondering how Skyva would feel about all this,” Radegast stirred.

“Lord-Regent!” Crystal entered, “How’s the stew coming?”

“Very well, thank you,” Radegast replied, “But what’s wrong with Radegast?”

“You are still the Lord-Regent to us,” Crystal replied.

“Yeah, but…” Radegast recalled a rather sobering encounter. He, Jakob, and Elder met up with a Skrelp messenger the day before.

—

“What’s the situation?” Radegast asked.

“To be honest, if they found out I went to see you, I’d be exiled,” The Skrelp chirped meekly.

“That’s not a good sign,” Elder cringed.

“While you have done an incredible service for the King of Depths in the past, this sacrifice has left a void among the Seven Clans, and we’re now in a turmoil. Between you willingly boarding the Olympus-

“Unintentionally,” Radegast added, “I didn’t know they were Regicide Crew.”

“Regardless, you boarded the Olympus. Despite intentions, the Regicide Crew has amassed a terrible power, and we have wound up weaker with the loss of the King of Depths. The remaining Six have placed blame at your feet.”

Radegast grit his teeth, but Elder spoke up. “He never asked for this shit. All he did was help wild Pokemon like us! What’s your problem?”

“Elder…”

“No,” Elder jabbed at Radegast, “You’re the kindest, most understanding human on this entire planet and he doesn’t deserve this shit from you Skrelp.”

“I’m just the messenger,” the Skrelp replied, “I’m only here because I’m one of the few who still like you guys.”

“It’s alright,” Radegast placed a hand on Elder’s head. The Gengar sniffled as tears formed in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I really am.”

“I know,” the Skrelp replied, “Friend-Elder is right, you are an understanding human… It’s just out of my control- or most everyone else’s.”

“How will this affect the relationship with Absolute and Weyloran?” Jakob asked.

“We’re planning to meet up and discuss this development and how we’ll take on the Regicide Crew going forward,” the Skrelp replied, “I know you and Absolute are on good terms, but I also know that Weyloran is on bad terms with your Demonslayer friend. Personally, I think the best-case scenario is that Absolute disowns any relationship with you.”

“I wouldn’t wanna make Absolute feel like she owes me one,” Radegast chuckled, “It really was no big deal.”

The Skrelp gave Radegast an odd look. “You’re too kind…”

“It just isn’t fair…” Elder huffed.

“Look on the bright side,” Radegast chimed as he pumped an arm, “There is one way we can all be friends again: We take down the Regicide Crew ourselves.”

—

The stew was well-received by the inhabitants of the Treehouse. After brunch, everyone split off on their respective duties and hobbies, while Radegast continued his training. This time, he worked with the meditation balls. They were difficult at-first, but after several hours, he had gotten one direction down perfectly.

At least once a week, Jakob would make his way to the berry farms on Melemele in order to exchange Akalan materials for the enormous variety of berries the Delibirds took care of. This time around, he was joined by Elder and Radegast, with his team in their respective pokeballs. Also with them was Doc Holiday.

“It’ll be a tight squeeze to stow away,” Jakob noted, “At least, a tight squeeze for a Gallade.”

“I think I’ll be alright,” Radegast’s slim, yet sturdy form seemed to fit nicely enough within an outside space. Elder melted into the Lord-Regent’s shadow to make more space, while Doc Holiday converted his projected form into a pair of meditation balls, which Radegast used as he left his other ones back at the Treehouse.