|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
|
 Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 5:30 pm
Ghosts // Of The Past
Neo & Nyx & Air No sooner had the door closed behind Air’s departing companions than Neo’s eyes narrowed on Nyx, a frown on his face and unhappiness in his eyes. When the Vulpix turned back to face his partner and their new teammate, his eyes widened in surprise and a fair degree of discontentment to be greeted by his partner in such a way. “To what do I owe your displeasure Neo?” Nyx said softly, sounding almost wounded.
The Meowstic’s frown deepened and he shook his head. “I just don’t get it Nyx!” he said, exasperation in his tone. “First back at the castle and now here at home--you threatened that poor Shuppet and his friend! They didn’t do anything to harm us and you threatened them! That’s not what a member of a Rescue Team is supposed to do. We’re supposed to help other Pokemon, even if they’re Ghosts.” Neo was disturbed by his partner’s behavior because it seemed to have no source. He’d just suddenly determine a Pokemon was deplorable and that was the end of it; what’s more, no Ghost Types had managed to escape that thus far, except for Team Oddball’s Guile. Whatever it was that caused this sort of anger in his partner, Neo knew that he couldn’t continue on any longer without understanding it.
Nyx hesitated, his expression darkening slightly under his partner’s scrutiny. He had planned on explaining things to Neo of course, he would have done it back in the castle if they hadn’t been ambushed, but he hated when such things were sprung on him without warning. In all honesty he should have seen it coming, since one as sensitive as Neo wouldn’t have overlooked the genuine outrage he’d felt at seeing the Shuppet again, but the affairs of Ghost Types were so difficult to explain to someone who didn’t share the typing. The vulpine supposed he would just have to do his best, and hope that his partner understood--it was clear that he couldn’t avoid the subject this time around. “Very well,” the Vulpix said, making his way to the table and indicating Neo should return to his breakfast. “I will do my best to enlighten you. If you have any questions when I’ve concluded feel free to ask then, but I request that you refrain from interrupting me earlier, as it would only serve to confuse you further.”
Neo complied, returning to his spot at the table, though he didn’t move to touch his food; he couldn’t think about eating, not when a serious conversation was about to take place. He caught sight of Air out of the corner of his eye, sinking down low to the ground as he watched the two of them--the poor Ditto hadn’t been given a proper welcome yet, but this was just as important. “Hey…” he said to Nyx, nodding toward their newest Teammate, “Is it alright if Air listens in too?” The Vulpix nodded, sitting down at the other end of the table, and Neo called out to the nervous Ditto: “Hey Air, come on over here. Nyx needs to tell us something.”
Air shuddered, slinking back a few inches and shaking his head. “N-No it’s fine,” the Ditto said, “You two can talk without me, I can just go look at some of the other places around the Guild…” He trailed off as both of his Leaders looked at him and sighed as he began to make his reluctant way over to the table. He took a cushion resting nearer to Neo, since he felt more comfortable with the Meowstic that with his agitated Vulpix partner, and looked at his gelatinous hands miserably as he waited, a captive audience to the others’ conversation. He had already been skeptical of the Guild, but this sudden serious conversation right after he’d arrived made him seriously consider the benefits of running away.
Seeing that his two teammates were prepared to listen, Nyx inhaled deeply, breathing in the heat that lurked in his throat before beginning. With any luck this would go smoothly and they could move on as though nothing had ever happened: he imagined it would be manageable with Neo, but with Air...he would have to be very gentle with the Ditto for a while, that much was clear. “Well then,” the Fire Type said, wrapping his tails around his paws so they wouldn’t become distracting to his listeners, “Allow me to inform you about the culture of Ghost Type Pokemon.”
“Pokemon of the Ghost typing are a peculiar group, and many of us have our own sets of rules that we are obliged to follow around those who share the Type. These may vary depending on the clan we’re from, the area we live in, or other similar factors, but they are always present, and function as guiding social principles for every ghost in existence. In addition to the individual rules, there are universal codes that must be respected as well--this is where the Shuppet and his acquaintance transgressed.”
“You must understand, before I explain, that there are those of us who embrace the identity of a ghost, and those of us who reject it. Those who embrace it love to enforce the stereotype of ghosts as mischievous spirits who intend to scare others, or poltergeists who will pull harmless pranks and cause light-hearted disturbances that the living cannot understand. While there are countless Ghost Types who fail to fall into this category, it is often the image we are degraded to, and there are several who enforce this, ensuring that it remains an issue for those of us who have no interest in being recognized as ‘traditional ghosts’. Still, since it was recognized that we Ghosts should do our best to coexist with one another, because we are held in such disdain by Pokemon of other types, that we would establish the universal codes: one of these states that a Ghost should never attempt to frighten or haunt another Ghost, as it is an indication of extreme disrespect toward the fellow members of our kind.”
“When the Shuppet and Misdreavus we encountered in the tower took on their ethereal forms with the intent to startle you and I Neo, they were acting in direct violation of that rule--a fact that I indicated to them in short order. Such a transgression is something that should be taken before a council, and is often met with some form of punishment. They saw my mercy when I told them to stay away from us, which was an unspoken indication that I would not see them tried for their actions. When our Shuppet acquaintance came here today I was naturally furious, as it is difficult to forget an offense such as I’d received, but our conversation revealed to me that he was attempting to show his gratitude for my actions by repaying it with information. He told me something I was eager to learn, and I forgave him for his actions in turn: it was an equal exchange.”
The Vulpix paused at that moment, attempting to gauge the reactions of his two listeners after all that he’d told them thus far. Neo appeared perturbed, his brow furrowed and eyes revealing the thoughts that churned inside his head. Air, on the other hand, had dropped his misery and replaced it with a look of intrigue. The Ditto stared at him with curious eyes, clearly fascinated by what he was being told, and Nyx offered a wry half-smile at him in return--so Air had an interest in cultural analysis did he? Well then, perhaps this would encourage their new member rather than deter him. Glancing back to Neo, Nyx addressed the Meowstic with the gentleness he reserved only for his partner: “Is something troubling you Neo?”
The Psychic blinked, looking up at Nyx uncertainly, surprised to have been addressed. “Well…” he began, struggling to word his problem politely, “It’s just...um...you’re kind of…”
“Not a Ghost?” Neo looked up with surprise, startled when he found amusement in his partner’s eyes. Nodding slowly, the Meowstic found his skepticism met with a low chuckle. “Of course you would think so. It’s difficult for someone not of our kind to understand, but you Neo, you might be able to discern it if you tried. Psychics can sometimes detect a Pokemon’s typing heritage if they search hard enough.”
Neo raised his paws submissively, shaking his head. “Oh no, I couldn’t do that,” the Meowstic said quietly, “That’s ignoring your privacy, it’s impolite. Psychics have rules too you know.”
“Of course, of course,” Nyx said, amused by his partner’s thoughtfulness, “But I’m giving you my permission. I’ll explain in a moment but it would be good if you accept my point by proving it to yourself. Go on, is there any Ghost Type in me?”
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable at the thought of using his abilities to pry into someone else’s mind, Neo’s sensing was tentative as he closed his eyes and sent his Psychic out to poke at Nyx’s consciousness. He had a general idea of what each Type felt like, based on encounters with them in the past, so he recognized the warmth of Nyx’s Fire Type at once. When he pressed it further however, he found a dimness lurking in the shadow of the fire, something at once chilling and sad--the feeling of a Ghost Type. With a gasp, Neo’s eyes shot open and he withdrew his Psychic immediately, feeling far more comfortable once he’d withdrawn his senses from his partner entirely. “I-It’s there…” he said weakly, staring at Nyx nervously, “So you’re…?”
“Part Ghost.” The answer was smooth and definitive, accompanied by a smile from his partner. “It comes from my father, a Chandelure. Hence why the Shuppet mentioned that his actions would have been different had he known my father.”
“But how was he supposed to know?” Neo asked, trying to puzzle it out. “I had to really concentrate to see that in you, and he’s not even a Psychic.”
Nyx nodded. “No indeed, but all Ghost Types can recognize other Ghost Types. It’s one of our additional...senses if you will. It’s not the same as Psychic abilities, we can’t determine it for other types, but we can always tell a ghost from an ordinary Pokemon. That being said, someone like myself--who possesses a ghostly lineage but is not a pure Ghost Type--is somewhat more difficult to recognize. We still give off the same signals however, they’re just softer than they would be if we were pure ghosts; the only reason another ghost wouldn’t notice them would be if they were disregarding the signals entirely--hence why it’s a serious offense.” There was more to it than that--far more--but that was enough for now. It was enough to account for his behavior without having to delve too deeply into his rather peculiar nature. These things would come with time, once he knew he had his partner’s trust.
There was a silence after that, where Neo mulled everything over in his mind, making sense of what he had been told. So Nyx was part ghost, which meant that other ghosts should show him respect because he was one of their own. That made sense enough, but his reaction had been so extreme… A sudden thought struck the Meowstic and his eyes widened as he recognized a truth he hadn’t considered: if Nyx wasn’t a pure blooded ghost, perhaps ignoring his partial typing was as serious an offense as being prejudiced against Pokemon who didn’t share your species. His mother’s family had been like that a little, before he’d been born they’d considered cutting his mom out of the family because she’d chosen a Milotic as her mate. Even after he’d been born they were still uncomfortable with his dad’s family, which Neo had never understood--maybe Nyx had gotten so mad because it was like that. Looking up to meet his partner’s eyes, the Meowstic’s gaze was softer than before. “I think I get it…” he said quietly, a bit embarrassed that he’d take so long to catch on. “I’m sorry I overreacted. I just didn’t understand.”
The fox looked at his partner thoughtfully, wondering what sort of conclusions he’d drawn, but dismissed the idea after a moment. Whatever Neo had decided, it seemed that all was forgiven between them, which was all that Nyx had hoped for. “No need to apologize Neo,” he said with a smile, “If I have explained things to your satisfaction, then I am content.”
“Um…” A soft voice spoke up, and Neo and Nyx turned to look at Air, who was watching them with interest. “I have a question.”
“Yes, what is it Air?” Nyx asked, intrigued by the Ditto’s curiosity.
“Well it’s just…” the Normal Type began hesitantly. “I’m here at the Guild because I want to learn things. I want to learn about other Pokemon of all kinds, so that I can understand them, and so they’ll help me understand myself a little better. Your story Nyx was...really interesting. I think it’ll be helpful for me in the future. My only question is…” The Ditto began to glow, form shifting and reforming until he re-solidified, a mirror image of Nyx. “...Can you sense other Ghost Types too?”
Nyx was taken aback by the Ditto’s sudden duplication of his appearance, as was Neo, who practically jumped out of his seat in surprise. The only difference between the two Vulpix was that Air’s voice came out of one of them--which was quite unsettling to both of his companions. As usual, Nyx recovered first, soothing the hackles that threatened to rise out of astonishment. “I...can,” he said after a moment, reassured to hear that his voice was distinctly different than that of his copy, although their appearances were identical. He’d always thought that Ditto could only assume the typical form of any type, but Air had him perfectly-- nine tails, whitish-red fur, and all.
“Really?” Air said with interest, swaying his tails back and forth with interest as he got a feel for his new form. Taking on the bodies of others had always helped him to understand them, so now that Nyx had explained himself it just felt right to try living in the Vulpix’s form for a little while. “Interesting! Do you mind if I ask you other questions if they come up? I wouldn’t want to offend anyone if I’m in this form or any other Ghost Type one for that matter.”
Nyx hesitated. “Do you plan on taking my form frequently?”
Air shrugged. “I’m not sure. I like to copy the forms of people I’m close to so I can understand them better. I take on a lot of different forms every day, but I spend some time with the ones I really want to memorize.” The Ditto began to glow again and he shifted once more, this time adopting Neo’s appearance. “I hope you don’t mind.”
The partners exchanged a glance uncertainly, neither one particularly certain how to react. Neo looked over at his copy, who was close enough to touch, and reached out to do so, feeling the tuft of fur that circled the Ditto-Meowstic’s throat. “You forgot something,” he said, parting the fur at his collar to reveal the rainbow scales beneath. “They’re from my dad,” the Psychic added sheepishly, letting the fur fall again, “They go all around my neck.” He watched as the Ditto’s fur began to glow, and was torn between amazement and nervousness when Air parted the fur to reveal an exact replica of his scales, down to the coloring: their new teammate was really incredible at what he did. “Y-Yeah, that’s it,” he murmured, looking down at his paws, “I guess it’s fine Air just...maybe not too much? It’s a little unsettling.”
The Ditto-Meowstic cocked his head to the side, looking at his Leader with inquiring eyes before nodding. He began to glow again and this time he had assumed his normal form by the time the light faded. “Alright. I’ll do my best. Just let me know if I ever go too far, alright?” Air knew that he didn’t understand what made his transformations shift from interesting to troublesome for other Pokemon, but he was trying to learn. If Neo continued to be honest with him then maybe this place would be good for him after all.
“R-Right…” Neo said, trying to shake the feeling that he’d just been made obsolete by his Ditto teammate. From the looks of it Nyx was experiencing a similar struggle however, which comforted him slightly. “Well, Nyx and I should probably get to the infirmary,” the Meowstic said after a moment, recalling Veilmys’s words from the night before. “Would you mind staying here to watch the Egg while we’re gone Air?”
The Ditto jumped to attention, eyes darting around the room until they settled on the Egg that rested in front of the fireplace. “Oh! I-I guess so,” the Normal Type said, staring at the unborn creature with trepidation. “I won’t hurt it, will I?”
Neo and Nyx both laughed at that one, amused by Air fretting. “Of course you won’t,” Neo said after a moment, smiling. “Just keep an eye on it while we’re away. We wouldn’t want it to hatch without anyone around.” They’d seen the results of that firsthand a couple of days ago, and Neo wasn’t eager to see anything like that happen again.
“I’m sure you’ll do a fine job of it,” Nyx added, having come to terms with Air’s quirky behaviors. So long as the Ditto didn’t pry at him too much, he would be a useful member of the Team, of that the Vulpix was certain. “Before we go however,” he added, “You should finish your breakfast Neo. It doesn’t do to start the day on an empty stomach.”
The Psychic looked at him for a long moment, baffled, before a gleam of understanding dawned on his face. “Oh, right,” the Meowstic said, staring at the breakfast he’d only just begun before this whole affair had started. “First breakfast, then we’ll head out.” Without further prompting, Neo began to eat, finding that all this talk of ghosts and transformations and teammates had left him even more famished than before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 5:34 pm
Sunrise // Sunset
Neo & Nyx & Air & Eliot & Clara Neo lay down on the couch, his eyes running across the text of the enormous book that lay in front of him. Air had returned from the Library the night before in a burst of excitement, having found a documentation of every species of Pokemon in existence and a brief summary of their group behaviors; Neo and Nyx both had been intrigued by the find, but they gave Air priority over the encyclopedia since the subject was so near and dear to the Ditto’s heart. Of course, when Air was out it was a different story, which was why Neo was absorbing the text so hungrily now. He only had until Nyx and Air returned from their trip to the market to get through as much as he could, and he’d only just made it to Amaura: the Meowstic had really been hoping to at least make it through the A’s before they returned.
It was then that the faintest of sounds caught the Psychic’s sensitive ears, a quiet chk that came from somewhere in the room. Ears twitching with surprise, Neo propped himself up on his paws and looked around curiously, eyes scanning his surroundings for any sign of the source. Finding nothing, the Meowstic frowned and turned back to his book, assuming it must have been someone passing by in the hallway; he was hunting down the line he’d read last when he heard it again--chk-chk!
Brow furrowed in confusion, Neo slid off the couch, leaving his book behind in favor of looking around the room. As he wandered about, he continued to hear the gentle sound from time to time, but whenever he looked in its general direction he only saw the crackling fire and the pair of Eggs that were cradled in the cushion in front of it. It was only after the fourth time that it clicked in the Meowstic’s mind: maybe that sound was--!
Hurrying over to the pair of Eggs, Neo’s eyes were wide with anticipation as he placed his paws on first one, then the other. The first one he check showed no signs of damage, its delicate lavender shell as smooth as the day he’d received it from the Lopunny who’d been caring for it, but the second had a delicate fracture down its dark side that pulsed a glowing red, like a living heartbeat. The Meowstic’s eyes were like saucers as he lowered a paw to touch the Egg and felt it shake at his touch: the baby was hatching--it was actually hatching!
Uncertain what to do, Neo stood there watching as the sound came again, and another vein joined the first. The beautiful auburn shell was growing steadily less perfect as the creature inside it struggled to break free, but the cracks made it all the more beautiful to the Psychic who watched it. “Come on, you can do it!” he whispered, encouraging the child who was trying to come out to him. The Egg’s motion paused when it heard his voice, and Neo felt his heartbeat quicken at the fear of having stopped the process somehow. A moment later however, the whole Egg shook violently as the child inside seemed to have redoubled its efforts, only pausing at short intervals between cracks that formed. Neo looked on, awestruck, his heart fit to bursting as he saw the Egg rocking towards him with each new shove: the baby had heard him, and now it was trying to get closer to him. The Meowstic felt his eyes fill with happy tears and he whispered to the Egg again: “Come on little one, come out to Daddy.”
His words didn’t fall on deaf ears. The Egg was promptly hit so vigorously that it toppled onto its side, its top sticking just off of the cushion where it lay. Neo’s ears twitched at the sound of what he could have sworn was a soft growl coming from inside the eggshell, and then the Egg jolted again, a crack splitting down the other side. “You’re almost there!” Neo breathed, heart pounding with excitement, “Just a little more!” The Egg was still for a moment, and then something incredible happened: it shook again, but this time a tiny paw burst through the crack on the side, reaching out to grasp at the firelight.
Neo couldn’t help the gasp that escaped him when he saw the little paw reaching upwards, and he lowered his own to touch the tiny appendage. The fur was slick with fluid from the Egg, but it was a beautiful shade of orange, with two white claws that protruded out from it; the paw rested against his for a few long moments before Neo pulled back reluctantly, knowing that the job wasn’t done yet. “Alright, you’ve almost done it,” he said softly, “Come on out. I know you’ve got it in you!” His comment was met with an audible yip in response, one that surprised the Meowstic with its determination, and the paw lowered itself within the Egg again.
After a long moment, a soft crackling could be heard as a cream-colored muzzle pushed its way out of the same hole, a shiny black nose sniffing at the air outside. It withdrew in another moment and Neo waited, certain that this would be the moment: he wasn’t to be disappointed. A tiny howl resonated from within the eggshell, and a moment later its top splintered as a tiny Growlithe head crashed through it. The child pulled its paws up to prop itself out of the shell and it looked around with wide curious eyes, that squinted against the sudden light. When its eyes finally settled on Neo, the Meowstic beamed and he extended his arms. “You did it!” he said, tears running down his cheeks as he looked at the beautiful creature before him, “You really did it! Come here little one, come let your Daddy give you a hug.”
The Growlithe yipped softly, its eyes bright and happy when it heard Neo’s voice, and it pitched itself forward, tumbling out of the Egg and onto the ground head over haunches. It gave a soft huff, but its tail wagged rapidly as it rose to unsteady paws and made its way over to Neo as fast as it could. When the miniature Fire Type arrived, Neo knelt down to hold the puppy close, and was met with an onslaught of kisses for his effort--in that moment, Neo was the proudest he’d ever felt in his life.
“Haha, alright now, slow down,” the Meowstic said after a few moments, when his fur had gotten so wet it drooped around his eyes from the child’s affectionate licks. The Growlithe paused, looking at him quizzically, and Neo almost laughed out loud: he looked so serious, like he actually understood what was being said to him. “We need to give you a name,” Neo clarified, patting the Growlithe gently on the head. He could sense that this one was a boy, but he hadn’t really considered that he might have to name the Eggs when they hatched. Fortunately, this one was easy, he had a name that he liked which seemed to suit the little one perfectly. “How about Eliot?” he asked the Growlithe, batting the child's nose playfully, “Do you like the name Eliot?”
The little Fire Type yipped happily and his tail wagged as he jumped on his father, tackling the Meowstic to the floor. This Pokemon was the one who’d been talking to him in the dark place, and he smelled right too, like happiness and warmth: he said he was called Daddy, so the Growlithe was happy to think of him like that. The bigger Pokemon had also called him Eliot, and the Growlithe liked the way that sounded, so that was okay too. Now that he’d made it out of the dark place to Daddy, Eliot was happy--Daddy seemed pretty happy too.
Neo laughed as he toppled to the ground, allowing himself to be overwhelmed with kisses from the baby. “I’m glad you like it,” the Meowstic said, staring up at the Growlithe with pride. Eliot was possibly the most beautiful Pokemon he’d ever seen--so majestic and yet so incredibly small--Neo promised himself that he would be the best father he could be for such a wonderful new life, just like his mom and dad had been for him.
After a little while Eliot stepped off of Daddy and turned around, looking at the huge world around him with curious eyes. There were so many things to explore and so many things he wanted to smell and touch and play on, but there was one thing in particular that caught his eye. Back in the place where he’d broken out of the dark, there was a purple thing; Eliot looked at it curiously, and then at the broken thing that was his dark place, and then back again. Could that be another dark place? The Growlithe toddled over to it and sniffed it curiously, smelling a strange but nice scent coming from inside. It smelled like his dark place a bit, but there was someone else in it--this was someone else’s dark place.
Neo noticed the boy wander over to the other Egg and chuckled to himself, wandering over to the little Growlithe. “This is another one of Daddy’s kids,” the Meowstic said, “Just like you. You were first but this one will come out too, eventually.”
Eliot’s ears twitched at his Daddy’s comment, as it confirmed his suspicions. So this was someone else’s dark place. Well it was lonely in there, and really hard to get out, so he would just have to help them along. With a bark, Eliot stared at the Egg intensely, trying to see if the other one would respond. He closed his eyes to listen closely, waiting, and then he heard it: a soft sigh.
Neo watched as Eliot interacted with the Egg, and he briefly wondered if the babies could talk to one another, even when one was hatched and the other was not. He dismissed the thought after a moment, certain that he would never know, and continued to watch his young charge, entranced by the thought that the Growlithe had been only an entity in an Egg just an hour before. He looked on quietly, certain that it was harmless for the child to examine the other Egg...until Eliot’s mouth filled with flames and he breathed a tiny burst of fire at the lavender shell.
“Eliot!” the Meowstic choked out, grabbing for the little Pokemon with both paws, “Don’t do that! You’ll hurt it!” He tried to pull the Growlithe away, but it was still half his size, despite being small, and very slippery from the egg fluid that still hadn’t been washed off, so his efforts were to no avail. Instead he watched in horror as Eliot batted at the eggshell, making it wobble where it sat, as the Growlithe barked at it insistently, as though there was something wrong with it. “Eliot please!” Neo pleaded, trying to get a better grip on the child to pull him away, “Stop it you’ll hurt the Egg!”
The little Growlithe paused, hearing the anguish in his Daddy’s tone, and turned to look at him in confusion. Why was Daddy upset? The girl in there wanted to get out of the dark place, she’d said so, but she was too weak to make it out herself. Eliot had used the warm stuff to help get him out of his dark place, so it would probably help her too--didn’t Daddy understand that? Instead Daddy looked scared. Why? Eliot whimpered, nudging Daddy’s paw with his head and staring sadly at the purpleish dark place: the other Pokemon still needed to get out.
Neo started to breathe again when the little Fire Type turned around, his heart racing like never before. Oh Arceus, if he’d broken that Egg… Taking the boy’s face between his paws, Neo scolded him firmly: “Don’t you ever attack an Egg again, do you understand Eliot? Never ever.” The child whimpered again and his tail tucked between his legs, but the Meowstic didn’t let up; the Growlithe needed to know that it wasn’t okay to play with something so delicate. But then Neo heard it: the now-familiar chk!
With a gasp, Neo let Eliot go, but the child turned around also, tail wagging and his misery forgotten. The pair stared as the lavender Egg began to shake, a newly-formed crack splitting it down the little. “Oh Eliot you were trying to help! I’m so sorry,” Neo whispered, pulling the Growlithe into a hug of apology. The child simply wagged his tail and licked his cheek eagerly, content to watch from his father’s arms as the other Pokemon got out of the dark place. Neo looked down at the boy gratefully before looking up at the other Egg and calling out to it as he’d done before. “Little one, can you hear me? Daddy and Eliot are waiting right outside for you!”
Like before, the Egg responded to the sound of his voice, trembling as the child within reacted to the familiar vibrations of the Meowstic’s words. This time, however, given Eliot’s assistance, the shell was softer and the child’s actions were more urgent because of the heat that had built inside. Without any ceremony, the lavender egg was rent open by a ball of light that Neo was forced to dodge, pulling Eliot to the floor with him as he did so. The attack crashed into the wall noisily, causing Neo to flinch as he hugged Eliot close, but the Growlithe soon began to squirm, nosing at him and straining to get away. When he looked up, Neo saw why.
The Meowstic felt the breath knocked out of him as he looked up at the Pokemon that hovered before them, looking down with nervous eyes. The Drifloon’s coloring was even paler than that of its Egg, and its hands and cross where white as the cloud that rested upon its head. Once again Neo felt his eyes well up with tears as he felt his heart burst with joy for the second time, and he swallowed past the lump in his throat his he watched Eliot approach the balloon with a cheerful yip, staring up at the other Pokemon with eyes that shone with happiness. Even though they weren’t related by blood, Neo felt as proud of the pair as if they were; he couldn’t wait to share the world with these beautiful children.
Extending a paw to the Drifloon, Neo smiled at it, beckoning the Pokemon closer. “Come say hello little one,” he said gently, “Welcome to the world.”
A thrill ran through the balloon as it recognized his voice, and it drifted over to him gently, little hands grabbing onto Neo’s extended paw as the Drifloon’s stringy arms wrapped around his. Neo felt his heart leap at the gentle touch, so delicate and fragile that he didn’t dare to hold it any more tightly than he did currently. “Hello there,” he purred, as the Drifloon floated down to give him a closer look, “We’ll have to give you a name too, now won’t we?”
The Drifloon stared at this Pokemon, taking in his features with care so that she wouldn’t forget them. He felt right, he was the one who would look after her here: Daddy, he’d said. She knew what a Daddy was, she remembered it in some vague memory that she couldn’t quite define. She knew a lot of things there, things like a name that she should be called. “Clara,” her voice was soft and quiet like the breeze, yet surprisingly clear for one of her age. “I’m Clara, Daddy.”
Neo stared at the Drifloon in surprise when she answered him, hardly having expected a response from a newborn, but the happiness in her eyes brought his smile back quickly. “Clara? What a beautiful name!” He spun around as he spoke, twirling the child along with him, and she giggled in response, twining her arms around him even more tightly. Eliot barked, nudging his head against Neo’s side and looking up at him piteously, extending a paw toward the Drifloon. “Oh, you want to say hello?” Neo said with a smile, “Sure. Clara, go say hi to your big brother Eliot.” He released his grip on her arms carefully, allowing her to float apart from him if she desired.
Clara paused, hearing her Daddy’s words and turning so that she faced the puppy on the floor. He was the one who’d been talking to her before, when she was in the dark place. He’d said he’d help her get out, and he’d done that, so he must be nice. She didn’t remember having a big brother in the other place, just like she didn’t remember having the same Daddy in the other place, but something told her that this wasn’t exactly the same as before. She wasn’t exactly sure how it would be different, but it seemed like it was good in this place, even if it wasn’t the same as before, and she liked that it was good.
Unraveling her arms from Daddy, Clara floated down so that her arms could reach Eliot, and he sniffed at them with interest. She smelled nice, even if she smelled a bit like the dark place still, and he licked her hand gently, smiling up at her. “Hi Eliot,” the Drifloon said, and the Growlithe barked in response to his name, wagging his tail at his sister. She could use words like Daddy, but he couldn’t yet, so actions would have to be enough. He stood up on his hind legs to bat at Clara’s arms playfully, smiling up at her, and the Drifloon giggled, shying back towards Daddy. In another moment Eliot pounced, knocking both his father and sister to the floor and winning laughter from both of them.
Neo lost track of how much time passed as he played with the kids, thoughts of reading forgotten with the presence of babies that longed for his affection. He gave them each a quick bath at one point, which they both seemed to enjoy (though Eliot thought it was another game, which resulted in a fair number of puddles being created in the process), and he cleared up the eggshells as well, so by the time Nyx and Air returned the pair were dry and clean and ready to meet their other teammates.
Neo’s eyes lit up the moment he heard the door handle turn. “Nyx, Air!” he called out eagerly, “Look who’s hatched!” He grabbed onto Eliot by the scruff of his neck and held Clara by the hand with a firm grip so neither of them could rush out when his teammates appeared, which proved to be a wise decision when the baby Fire Type nearly pulled away from his grip at the appearance of the new Pokemon: a pair of Vulpix who looked utterly identical, both with groceries in tow.
The first Vulpix paused in the doorway, looking in at them calmly, causing the second to run into him and drop his bags on the ground: well, that clarified which was which. “Th-The Eggs?” Air asked, as he picked himself up, shedding his Vulpix form and peering over Nyx’s shoulder warily.
“The Eggs.” Nyx’s affirmation was curt, as he appraised the children from afar, staring at the Growlithe and Drifloon with interest. “Come, get inside,” he said after a moment, “Before they can get away from Neo.” With a nudge of one of his tails, Nyx ushered Air into the room and closed the door, allowing his partner to release the children at last.
Eliot rushed forward the minute Daddy let go of him, tail wagging rapidly as he approached the pair. They smelled like Daddy, which meant they belonged here too, but they were pretty different from each other. One of them was shaky and pink, and smelled kind of scared, and the other smelled warm like he did, but didn’t seem very happy. He went over to the one that smelled like him first and crouched down, inviting him to play, but the bigger Pokemon shook his head, causing Eliot to whimper quietly. “Hush child,” the reddish-white Pokemon said, looking at him with serious eyes, “I am not your playmate but your teammate. You’d do well to learn that sooner rather than later.”
“Aw Nyx,” Neo said, frowning as he looked at his partner, “Eliot’s just a baby, he doesn’t know any better. He needs to know that he’s loved: we’re his family now.”
The vulpine looked back at him with a quirk of the eyebrow. “Family? I wouldn’t call us that. We are their guardians but we’re hardly a family unit.”
Neo stared the Vulpix down. “We’re going to be their family Nyx. I promised them that and I intend to keep that promise. You don’t have to be their father, I can do that, but the least you could do is treat them as children should be treated.”
Nyx bowed under his partner’s gaze. “If that is what you desire Neo, then I will do it,” he said solemnly. “However you should know that I am rather poor with children. I will do my best not to interfere, and I will protect them alongside you, but I cannot be a friend to them as I can be to you.”
Neo’s frown lessened though it was still present as he considered the Vulpix’s words. He couldn’t ask Nyx for more than he could manage, but it would be nice if the fox could show a little more enthusiasm about the whole thing. With a sigh he nodded at last. “Alright, I won’t pressure you to play with them,” he said wearily, “Just please Nyx, please do whatever you can to let them know that they’re loved. They won’t have a normal family, so we have to do the best we can for them.”
“I understand,” Nyx replied, nodding. “I will do what I can.” The Vulpix looked up, peering around the room expectantly. Eliot had left him for Air, and the Ditto was amusing the child by shifting into a Growlithe and back again every few moments. At least Air would be able to provide Neo the help he needed regarding entertaining the children; the Ditto seemed to be enjoying it too, if a bit nervous around the newborns. Neo was standing by himself, and the other child… “Where is the other child?” Nyx asked curiously, looking around the room again. “You spoke as though they’ve both hatched yet I’ve only seen one.”
Neo looked around curiously, finding that Clara was nowhere to be seen, and he felt a wave of nervousness rush over him at the Drifloon’s absence. She couldn’t have gone out the door but she was nowhere to be seen. The girl was a Ghost Type, but did that mean she could disappear? “Clara?” the Meowstic called out, looking around, “Clara where did you go?” A tug on his tail gave him his answer, and the feline spun around to find the baby Drifloon hovering behind him where she couldn’t be seen, shaking ever so slightly. “Clara, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Neo asked, pulling the balloon close in a hug; she was quivering so unobtrusively he hadn’t realized she was brushing against his tail at all.
Clara leaned into Daddy’s hug, trying to block out the sensation coming from the Pokemon he was talking to. Daddy seemed to like the white-red fox, but Clara didn’t like him, he hadn’t liked Eliot, and he had a darkness about him that reminded her of the dark place. She didn’t want to go back there, so she didn’t want anything to do with the one Daddy had called Nyx. She didn’t answer the Meowstic’s question at all, but wrapped her stringy arms around him tightly, unwilling to let go of his paw. So long as Daddy held her she would be alright.
Neo turned around, Drifloon in his arms and looked at Nyx apologetically. “It seems like something’s spooked her,” he said, patting Clara’s head with a gentle paw. “This is Clara though, she can already talk a bit too!” His voice rang with pride as he looked down at the child, and she peeked up at him with a small smile before burying her face in his chest again.
“A Drifloon?” Nyx said, his tone shifting to one of intrigue from the apathy it had held before. “You didn’t tell me one of the children was a ghost Neo.” It wasn’t an accusatory statement but a surprisingly gentle one, and the Vulpix strode over to his partner and the child he held in short order. Looking down at her, Nyx frowned, his eyes showing an unexpected sympathy. “Poor child,” he said, staring past her physical form to see the shadow of what she once was, “What could have cut your life so short?”
“What do you mean?” Neo asked, arms tightening defensively around Clara as her shivering began again. “She’s only just been born, her life is just beginning!”
Nyx shook his head, a somber look on his face. “No, this Drifloon was once a Castform Neo. All ghosts come from a past life, even the newborns.”
Neo paled, looking down at the balloon he cradled in his arms. “You mean she…”
His partner nodded, still watching the child intensely. “How else could she speak? She has other memories in her mind, memories of her previous life that haven’t died. In a sense she’s one of the lucky ones: she’s been given a second chance at life.” The Vulpix’s expression darkened. “In another sense, she’s unfortunate, because her former life had such a woeful conclusion that her soul couldn’t rest at death.” He bowed his head, stepping back from Neo and Clara to give the Meowstic some room: it was a hard truth to process, that the lives of ghosts were doomed to be born of tragedy.
Neo stared down at Clara, hugging her closer still. Nyx knew far more about ghosts than he did, so the Meowstic trusted his partner’s words on the subject, but this… This was just terrible. If Clara had lived such a sad life before, he wouldn’t let it happen again--this time around he would give her the life that she deserved. “Was she a child when it happened?” Neo asked, tail whisking back and forth nervously.
Nyx shook his head. “I cannot say. All that I can see is what she was before. Her vocabulary would give some indication of her age at the time, but otherwise we have no way of knowing.”
Neo sighed, stroking the cloud atop Clara’s head gently. If they couldn’t draw anything from the past, then the present would have to be enough. Clara had seemed happy when they were playing before, so maybe this was the best he could do. No matter what, he would make sure she and Eliot were happy, that was the most important thing of all. The past couldn’t get to Clara here, and he would keep it that way if that would make her life into something better than before. Looking back up at Nyx, the Meowstic smiled forlornly, and Nyx stared back at him with tired eyes. One last question tugged at the Psychic’s mind when he looked at his friend, and after another long moment he voiced it: “What about you Nyx?”
The Vulpix froze, eyes filling with panic for an instant before he managed to soothe the fear that gripped him. “...No,” he said after a moment, eyes downcast, “I have no past life. My mother’s typing took the dominant place in my birth, so I was not born a ghost. I share characteristics of the type, but I have never died.”
Neo smiled, green eyes warm with empathy for his partner. “I’m glad,” the Meowstic said softly, freeing a paw from Clara’s arms to place it on Nyx’s shoulder. “No one deserves to come from tragedy.”
Nyx stared at the Meowstic with uncertain eyes, feeling something stir inside him that he’d never experienced before. Neo actually cared about him; that was… A slight smile settled across his features and Nyx nodded gingerly: for once he was at a loss for words. He opened his mouth again after a moment, having found his voice, and was just about to speak when suddenly he was tackled to the ground by a blur of fur, and found himself being covered in tiny Growlithe kisses.
“Eliot!” Air’s strangled cry broke the silence as the Ditto bounded over, still sharing the child’s form. “Eliot don’t do that! Nyx doesn’t like it!” He pawed at the child’s tail to get his attention, but the Growlithe was too preoccupied with his victim to take any notice.
Clara shifted her position to look down at Eliot and dared to giggle quietly to herself. Daddy and Nyx had been talking about things she didn’t want to hear, so she’d ignored them, some part of her subconscious shielding the child’s ears from the knowledge that she wasn’t old enough to handle. With Eliot on top of the fox, he didn’t seem so scary, and for a minute there when Daddy was talking to him the unpleasant feeling had stopped coming from him entirely. The Drifloon didn’t understand it, but she was happy to see that her big brother could handle it. He’d caught her eye when she was shivering and rushed over to cheer her up in a heartbeat.
“Enough!” Nyx said, doing his best to keep his temper in check for Neo's sake as he pushed the boy off of him. “Eliot really, you must refrain from accosting others like this.”
The Growlithe stared at the Vulpix curiously, head tilted in confusion as he considered the bigger Pokemon’s words. He didn’t understand them, they were too complicated for the child’s mind, but he did understand the tone, which told him he’d done something wrong. Why was it that Daddy liked it but the Pokemon that smelled like the warm stuff didn’t like it? Eliot didn’t understand, but he sat back on his haunches when the Vulpix stood back up, looking quite pleased with himself. Clara had looked like she needed some cheering up, and she smelled much happier now.
Neo laughed as he looked down at Eliot fondly, lowering his free paw to pat the boy on the head. “He’ll figure it out eventually,” the Meowstic said with a grin, earning him a huff from his partner. Clara floated up out of his arms and wrapped her arms around Eliot’s tail, which he immediately began to chase until they both fell down in a pile of laughter, and Neo smiled, even as his teammates looked on with concern and disapproval respectively. With a bit of time things would be alright, Air and Nyx would both warm up to the children--of this he had no doubt; until then, they had their Daddy Neo, who loved them more than enough to make up for any initial reluctance the others might have.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
|
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 5:41 pm
A Lesson Learned // Is Not Forgotten
Neo & Nyx & Air & Lux On the day the letters arrived, an air of calm had settled about the room. Lux’s presence had been a positive one overall for the Team’s moral, and Eliot and Clara had taken to him instantly, enchanted by the new friend who produced color from thin air. Nyx and Lux had spoken with one another privately and achieved an understanding of sorts apparently, as the malice of before no longer permeated the space between the Vulpix and the Lucario, and was replaced with a mutual sense of acceptance. Neo and Air were unaware of the contents of that conversation, but whatever they may have been worked wonders on the relations between the two, improving them from civil to almost accepting; whatever it was though, it thoroughly improved Nyx’s mood which made the whole Team better off for it.
Neo was offered a large manila envelope by Clara, who had floated over to retrieve the item when it had been surreptitiously slipped under their door, and the Meowstic took it with interest, impressed to find an official seal of the Guild holding it shut. He opened it with careful paws, reluctant to mar the lovely wax sigil, and found five letters inside. They all had different addressees, but all bore seals of their own and the same distinctive handwriting, one that Neo hadn’t seen before. The Meowstic summoned his teammates and distributed the letters carefully to their intended recipients before opening the group letter and reading it out loud for everyone’s benefit. The contents of the first note made it increasingly clear what the other letters were for.
“...Well.” The word was soft and made in afterthought when had Neo finished reading the group note, coming off somewhat uncertainly as he glanced around at his teammates. The Meowstic didn’t really know what else to say, given the grave nature of the Ivysaur’s tone. He appreciated Serrin’s words on a certain level, especially the confirmation that he did not, in fact, consider their lives to be as worthless as it would have seemed throughout the mission, but that didn’t change the things that he’d put them through. Still, he was able to appreciate the fact that the Ivysaur had made the gesture to communicate with them; that knowledge restored a bit of lost faith, if nothing else. “I guess we should each read our own letters and move on from there,” Neo said after a moment. “He’s making an effort, so we should at least return the favor.” With that, he left the group letter on the table and dismissed his teammates to go read on their own; Neo knew that he, at least, didn’t want to be in the presence of others when reading something regarding such a touchy subject.
The Meowstic went off to sit in the corner of the room where his bed rested, sitting with his legs dangling off the side as he opened the letter with his name on it. The first part of the letter was met with a quiet acceptance on Neo’s behalf, although he felt a twinge of discontentment just once, when Serrin offered a defense of the Pokemon that had injured him. Neo touched a paw to the bandages on his sides silently, wondering at the Rescue Leader’s words. It seemed unreasonable that he’d been put at such risk in his fight, and this confirmed it, but that didn’t really do anything to ease his unhappiness. He was flattered by the praise he received, somewhat mollified to know that he was being recognized by his superiors for his work but… The fact that it wasn’t real still burned raw within him, making Neo feel as though it still didn’t mean anything at all. Nothing could change that, but he didn’t know how to express such things to Serrin. Instead, he picked up the second note and laid the first to the side gently, wondering what more the Ivysaur could have to say.
The additional contents of the note were read quickly and quietly, and then the second sheet of paper was placed atop the first and both were folded carefully and replaced in the envelope, which he slid under the cushion that comprised his bed thoroughly so that it couldn’t be seen. He hadn’t known the actions that Nyx had taken before this point: no one had informed him. He’d heard about the fire of course, and that he’d fallen unconscious when trying to defend his partner, but he’d awoken back at base when things were beginning to wrap up, and knew nothing of what had happened in the time between the two periods. Now he knew.
Neo wasn’t angry. As he lay back on his bed deep in thought, he found himself to be somewhat...reassured, rather than upset by the knowledge of Nyx’s actions. His partner had been so concerned for his safety that the Vulpix had set the jungle ablaze trying to get him back; someone who cared so deeply for another Pokemon couldn’t have had bad intentions in mind--Nyx had just been frightened, and lashed out the only way he could think of. Of course the Meowstic didn’t approve of burning down a jungle, especially one that was as home to as many as the Mystifying Jungle, but he understood why it had happened. Later on, once he collected his thoughts and emotions, Neo would have a conversation with his partner about the event and caution him to be more careful in the future; the conversation would end in a hug though, and be accompanied by a great amount of gratitude that would bring a rare smile to the Vulpix’s face. For now though, Neo stared up at the ceiling and considered all the new information he’d received. In the end it left him feeling a mild sense of satisfaction, which he held onto for a long while as he waited there, trying to formulate his own response to everything that had been said and done.
Left by their captain, the three other acting members of Team Essence exchanged glances among themselves as each took their own letter. Nyx excused himself, moving across the room to sit at the desk, while Air made his way over to the couch after a moment of hesitation, leaving Lux alone at the table with his envelope. The Lucario stared down at the letter with unseeing eyes, feeling for the seal and undoing it carefully. The paper within was crisp and clean, as he would expect from a person like Serrin and the writing was fortunately ripe with emotion despite the Ivysaur’s distant demeanor. He looked down at the ink that glowed faintly with the dull green that defined the Rescue Leader and read the words curiously, savoring the faint taste of icy water on his tongue. The taste suited Serrin, but then the taste of the aura almost always aligned with the character of its source--he’d only met one Pokemon in his lifetime who didn’t fit that rule. The Ivysaur’s directness could be refreshing but also harsh and seemingly cold, like his taste, but he also held a great deal of importance and could prove a vital ally; these were the things that Lux had not only observed, but appreciated from the moment he’d first met the Rescue Leader.
It had surprised Lux that he’d received a letter at all, seeing as Serrin had called him down previously to discuss a few observations he’d made during the exercise, but it was soon clear that it was merely a follow-up to their previous chats. The Lucario smiled vaguely at the flattering words the Ivysaur used in his note and folded it up carefully, intending to keep it with him in the future. It was then that he noticed another sheet of paper in the letter, this one glowing with aura as well, but a brighter and more guarded kind that bespoke caution. Expression shifting to a frown, Lux removed the note and read it swiftly before carefully tearing the sheet of paper to shreds. Naturally he’d been intending to keep an eye on the peculiar fox, but he respected Serrin’s cautionary measures, and eliminated the note so that Nyx wouldn’t be able to find it himself. Yes, he intended to keep a careful watch over the Vulpix, and the Meowstic who was he was so taken with (or perhaps it was the other way around). He’d had a chat with Nyx upon arrival and had made peace with the irritated Fire Type by explaining how his use of aura functioned, and was certainly not intended as an invasion of privacy. What he’d neglected to mention was that these things were unavoidable for one who saw using only aura as he did, and that Nyx’s aura was worthy of some notice at the very least--the Vulpix was troubled, and Lux intended to see to it that he didn’t have the chance to bury such negative emotions within himself, since that could only lead to trouble for all involved. He liked the members of Team Essence far too much to see them hurt themselves or one another, and--as Serrin had so aptly recognized--the Lucario had every confidence that he could tend to them until they had grown into the Team that he saw they could one day be.
Air settled into the couch uncertainly, his letter in hands yet unopened as he watched Lux make his way over to Eliot and Clara after having read his own letter. The Ditto was a bit intimidated to be receiving a missive from the Rescue Leader himself, especially after all of the uncertainty surrounding his Team and their opinion of the Ivysaur. He wasn’t sure what Serrin could have to say to him directly since he’d been kidnapped just after their first rescue: in truth he half expected it to be a reprimand for his carelessness at being caught and leaving the Team alone. So, with a deep breath, the Ditto broke open the seal on his envelope and pulled out the note; his wavery hands quivered more than usual as he unfolded it and opened the paper to read its contents with worried eyes.
By the time he’d finished reading, Air’s eyes were bright with pleasant surprise and deeply flattered. This wasn’t a scolding letter at all, but one praising him for his efforts! A small smile formed on the Ditto’s face and he felt a deep sense of satisfaction settle over him. Recalling a conversation he’d had not too long ago about his usefulness, Air was quite flattered to find that yet another Pokemon had noticed his use of his abilities and praised him for it--and a Guild Leader nonetheless! Maybe he really did have a talent after all. He’d never considered his innate abilities something to be proud of, since any Ditto could do the same, but maybe it was a talent. Maybe he was really good at the thing he was meant to do; that was a pleasant thought indeed. Whatever the case, Serrin’s letter left Air in a far better mood than he’d expected, even if its tone was a bit strange, and the Ditto turned back to his reading filled with far more vigor and confidence than before. Maybe their Sector Leader really did know what he was doing after all.
As his Teammates went about their business Nyx sat patiently at the desk, waiting until they were sufficiently distracted before opening his personal envelope. The Vulpix was less than mollified by the group letter, and was far from eager to see what the Ivysaur had to say to him personally, but it was important enough not to ignore in the event that it required some sort of response. In truth Nyx had been hoping there would be no further discussion about this particular incident, but (as usual) things simply refused to happen in accordance with his desires. With a quick claw Nyx cut the seal off of the envelope and opened it, not bothering to be gentle with the paper as he unfolded it and scanned the words with passive eyes.
By the end of the note his claws had worked small holes into the sides of the paper where he held it, and the Vulpix glared down at the paper in disgust as he reread it. Was he really being reprimanded for his actions? After everything that the Ivysaur had done to his Teammates? It wasn’t unexpected, but the tone was deeply insulting and did nothing to redeem Serrin’s standing in Nyx’s eyes. He didn’t find anything about the scenario remotely acceptable in the first place, but he’d been willing to let it lie for Neo’s sake so the Team could get past it; now though--now he had no other option but to respond. His actions were being questioned as childish and unreasonable, and that was not something he would stand for.
Removing a sheet of paper of his from the desk along with an ink bottle, the Vulpix dipped the tip of one of his tails into the liquid and began to write.Rescue Leader Serrin I wish to make one thing clear to you. I do not take my work lightly--as a member of a Rescue Team anything less would be unreasonable and unprofessional. As such, I will inform you that my actions were not made without an understanding of their consequences. They were not an act of desperation or a lack of consideration but rather the best possible solution I could create for the impossible scenario that you set before us on the expedition in question.
If you recall, my partner was abducted during a period when I was unaware of the lack of danger in the situation. I had every reason to suspect that he and the other Pokemon who had been kidnapped were in a position of grave jeopardy at that moment, and that both clients and Guild members were being kidnapped by these unknown aggressors since we knew very little about them. Given that information, as well as the knowledge that there were a number of Guild-affiliated Water Type Pokemon and medics present and prepared for action at a moment’s notice, I made my decision to take action in the most effective way I could manage.
The fire I created allowed me to pursue the kidnappers, who I believed would return to the place where they were holding the hostages given that they had my partner in their possession. Additionally, it provided a beacon and distress signal to my fellow Guildmates, allowing them (and yourself) the capacity to follow my trail and locate our aggressors. Naturally other Pokemon have less destructive ways to accomplish this goal, but given my species and the nature of the split-second decision I was forced to make, I had very few options at the time. Believing, as I was, that we were facing danger on all fronts from disease, paranoia, and outside aggression, I hoped that my actions would be noticed and followed up on by my fellow members (and perhaps yourself), and that together we could locate those who had been taken and minimize the damage caused by the flames. Perhaps my expectations of my fellow members’ abilities to take action were too high--in which case I have no qualms accepting the fault in this situation--but I truly believed in the group’s ability to respond to my decision accordingly. I only hope that you can understand the rationale behind my actions as I have explained above, and appreciate that I did what I believed to be necessary and not without thought or reason.
I acknowledge that there were lives put at risk due to my actions and I understood this from the start. As you alluded to in your explanation of the test, it is difficult to determine what is “right” or “wrong” when placed in high pressure situations where lives will be lost no matter which option is taken. Given that I believed said test to be one such mission under the circumstances, I was forced to choose which lives I considered to be more valuable to save. Perhaps it is a weakness (as you mentioned in your letter to my collective Team with regard to our emotional nature) for me to place value on the lives of my Teammates and coworkers over the lives of strangers who were already at risk of death from an unknown and potentially incurable disease; if that is what you truly believe then I will not disrespect that opinion, but you should be aware that I do not share it. If this is a problem I hope you will inform me promptly so we might discuss the matter further, though I hope that if it comes down to a matter of personal beliefs we can settle our differences peaceably.
In any case, if any lives were lost due to my actions I will accept responsibility for them with my deepest regrets and see to it that the families of those I wronged receive my personal apology if you tell me how I can communicate with them. However I hope that you have learned from my actions as well, and refrain from giving me reason to believe that a situation is life-or-death without cause again. I believe my actions would have been reasonable if the mission were genuine, and it is only due to the fact that it was a simulation rather than a reality that my actions may have had such grave and needless consequences: if I had known we were being tested I assure you I would never have done something so drastic. Please understand, I view matters of the Guild with utmost seriousness, and will continue to do so in the future--I do not view our work here as something to be trifled with.
-Nyx, Co-Leader of Team Essence
Another nod followed as the Vulpix transferred the note to his paw for a moment to respond. “Yes, for a moment. Serrin’s note requested a response, so I obliged. I’ll be back once it’s delivered.” With that, the fox slipped the note back to his jaws and stepped out of the room. Lux waited a few long moments after before approaching the writing desk, drawn by the dark aura that still clung to it from when Nyx was drafting his response--something the Ivysaur had said had made the Vulpix quite unhappy, and he was curious what it might have been. Reaching a paw out, he brushed it against the desk, feeling for Serrin’s letter so that he might sense the aura that clung to its words since any sign of Serrin was currently overwhelmed by the swirl of negative aura Nyx had left in his wake. He raised the paw again after a time, staring down at it mutely for a moment before he turned and headed toward the pool, following the gurgle of running water: he had to dispel the ashes before Nyx came back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:18 pm
Kent Kent had been present in Catalyst's team room when their letter had been delivered, but Keivera's original absence caused Kent to request a delay in its opening; Keivera was their leader and it was only appropriate that she be present when an official guild address be read. Upon her return, several hours later, Keivera was quite displeased with some of its contents. Her displeasure was not with his performance, of course, but rather with Arlyn's post abandonment. It was at this point that he had politely excused himself to give Arlyn and Keivera some privacy - given that Arlyn had gone in search of the Sawsbuck despite knowing how displeased she would be, he had some explaining to do. Excusing himself was the politest thing he could do in this instance. Now that he was out of the room though, he wasn't sure where to go. At first he wandered somewhat aimlessly around the guild house. Then, it occurred to him, he hadn't been by to see Air yet - which was something he had intended to do quite some time ago. He had been quite happy to meet the ditto during the guild's mission to the dig site. He hoped that, despite the somewhat lengthy passage of time, the invitation to visit was still open.
He wandered the halls looking at the various team doors and it wasn't long till he found the one he was looking for. He looked at the oblong golden placard that said "Team Essence" and noted its simple, yet intricate design. At first, he stood there silently. He wasn't sure how long he stood there looking at the sign or why, but finally he turned his attention to the door. He had no hands with which to knock, so instead he opted for a gentle scratching of the door's surface accompanied by a light "thump" from his paw pads. He hoped the noise wasn't too alarming for any who might be inside, but it was the best he could do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
|
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 5:54 pm
Neo & Air & Eliot & Clara Things had died down a bit after the excitement of the letter delivery, and everything was returning to its usual gentle pace in the home of Team Essence. After his conversation with Neo, Nyx excused himself and Lux followed shortly after: the former to clear his head and the latter to take a look around the Guild. In the aftermath of the day's events, Neo was content to rest on the couch and watch Air entertain the children--a task that the Ditto was more than happy to do. Over the weeks that had passed since their birth, Air had grown quite fond of the youngest members of their Team, and he enjoyed watching them grow more intelligent and aware with every passing day. As usual, Eliot was playful as ever, batting around a ball with him as Clara looked on from the sidelines. Air had adopted the little puppy's form, enjoying the sight of the world from the miniature Pokemon's eyes--the energy that filled the little Growlithe's personality was contagious, and the sensation of his young body was a delightful change from the more adult forms he was used to taking; seeing the world through the literal eyes of a child was pleasant indeed, if only in small doses.
The sound the scratching at the door was met with a physical response from three of the Pokemon in the room, though Clara only caught on at the loud thump, which caused the little Drifloon to float upward several inches in alarm. Eliot was the first to respond, the puppy's eyes widening and a gentle whimper forming in his throat; moments after, he bolted over to the door and began pawing at it eagerly, glancing back at Neo and Air with pitiful eyes--the Pokemon outside smelled like he did, and he wanted to know who it was. Neo hopped down from the couch, but Air made it over to the door first, recognizing the scent that came from outside. With an eager paw, Air pulled open the door, tail wagging eagerly. "Kent!" the Ditto-Growlithe said, tail wagging delightedly when his eyes rested on the Growlithe standing outside, "It's good to see you again!" Air's eyes widened at the heightened pitch of his voice and immediately his form began to glow and shift into that of his true self. "Sorry about that, Eliot and I were just playing a game."
The puppy in question barked delightedly at the sight of his older counterpart, tail wagging so wildly it was little more than a blur. Eliot was half the size of Kent, but he was hardly intimidated by the unfamiliar face. Aside from Air's copies, he'd never seen another of his species before, so he was ecstatic. Crouching down, Eliot wiggled his hindquarters in the air, inviting the older dog to play, and that was when Neo stepped forward.
"Alright Eliot, hold on a minute." The Growlithe turned around to greet his Daddy with delight, practically jumping on the Meowstic as he peeked around to see who'd come to visit. Pushing Eliot to the side with a laugh, Neo looked Kent over with curious eyes. "This is a friend of yours Air?" Receiving a nod from the Ditto he smiled, "Well go ahead, invite him in." Shooting a cheerful grin at the other Growlithe he pulled Eliot back, leaving some space for Kent to enter. "Any friend of Air's is a friend of all of us."
Air nodded eagerly, stepping to the side as well. "Right, please come in!" He was eager to see the Growlithe again--it had been a while but he'd been hopeful that they'd meet again. In truth he would've gone to visit himself if he hadn't been so busy with the kids, but at least Kent was here now, and that was what mattered.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 12:53 pm
Kent At first, the delay made him wonder if he had come at a bad time, however, his persistence was met with the sound of whining. There was someone, another Growlithe it smelled like, that had started pawing at the other side of the door. When it was opened seconds later, he was faced with two very small Growlithes - both about half his size. The sight was quite a shock, but a pleasant surprise. When one called him by name, he knew then which one was Air. When he had originally met the Ditto, he had been able to copy Kent's appearance down to every single strand of fur. He was impressed then, and still was by Air's adeptness and skill with his transformations.
His tail wagged happily as Air explained why there had been two Growlithe's greeting him at the door. Kent smiled as he answered Air, "It's quite alright Air. To be honest, it was not what I expected and I was surprised, however it was a pleasant one." As he spoke, his eyes went from Air to little Eliot. He was glad that the pup was so delighted to meet him. He knew that Eliot wanted to play, based on his behavior, but he knew better than to return the play bow without being given permission. Afterall, he was a stranger to the rest of the team. He knew that, if he were a father, he would not appreciate a stranger offering to play with his child without him personally inviting them to do so first. Parents (the general rare exception not withstanding) were, by nature, protective of their children, and rightfully so.
When Neo approached and pushed Eliot to the side to look him over, Kent kept his smile. He waited patiently and watched as Neo asked about him and was quite pleased that the Meowstic had approved, allowing Air to invite him in. The Meowstic had a friendly air about him. Kent was glad to be welcomed so warmly. Before entering, he bowed his head slightly, first to Air and then to Neo saying, "Thank you."As Kent entered the room, he was surprised at how nice, yet still modest, their home was. This, he thought, was probably one of the nicer rooms that the guild offered to their teams. Granted, this was just an observation. Kent enjoyed his life with Team Catalyst and wouldn't trade it for anything. But he had to admit, Team Essence' Room had a very cozy and warm feel to it.
Turning to Air as the door was closed, he smiled, his tail beginning to wag again. "It is so good to see you Air," he said, then looking between Air and Neo both again he continued, "I apologize for dropping by unannounced, but it was something I decided to do on the spur of the moment. I hope you don't mind." Then, he turned his gaze to Neo and the children, "As Air said, my name is Kent. I'm a member of Team Catalyst, one of the exploration teams. It's a pleasure to meet you all." He looked back to Air then, for him it was hard to know where to look since there were four pairs of eyes on him. He had come to visit Air specifically originally, however he was happy to have the opportunity to meet the other members of Team Essence. He hoped that he would get along well with the rest of his team, though he suspected that he would have no issues.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
|
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 2:20 pm
Neo & Air & Eliot & Clara "Of course!" Neo replied cheerfully to Kent's gratitude, oblivious to his concern about following etiquette. If Nyx were here, the Vulpix would have taken note of such things and likely approved of the Growlithe's polite demeanor, but Neo was much more lax than his partner, and interested in befriending guests rather than interrogating them. "It's been a while since we've had a visitor. The kids can make it a bit difficult to get out and extend the invitation around." The plans he and Nyx had made on their second day at the Guild seemed a distant memory now--it'd be terribly difficult to host a party while looking after Eliot and Clara; unless they got one of the Guild staff to babysit it could be more than a little troublesome. Patting Eliot gently on the head, Neo smiled. "We're happy to have them though. They really bring a lot light to our lives." The Meowstic couldn't help praising his children whenever he got the chance--he was too proud of them to overlook such opportunities.
After Air closed the door behind his friend, the Ditto joined his leader, a smile on his face when Kent began to speak. "It's not a problem at all!" Air replied cheerfully, "Like Neo was saying, we haven't had guests in a while, but we love to have them. I'm pretty sure you said something like 'if the door's open, come in', right?" The Ditto looked up at Neo for confirmation, and the feline nodded. "See!" Air said warmly, "Sometimes unexpected visits are the best kind!" Remembering his manners, Air blinked after Kent introduced himself to the others. "Ah right, sorry about that. You know me, but this is Neo, my captain, and the little Growlithe is Eliot, and the Drifloon's Clara..." Looking around the room for any sight of the young Ghost, Air pointed her out when he caught sight of the girl staring down at them from the ceiling, her strings wrapped around one another nervously. "She's still pretty shy," the Ditto clarified, "She had a bit of a scare the first time she met someone new, so she's been nervous around unfamiliar Pokemon ever since." Clara had never forgotten the way that Balerd had climbed on her, and she probably never would; although they had made their peace with one another, the girl still feared that every stranger might try to grab her, and she didn't want to risk that.
Neo smiled warmly at the Growlithe's introduction. "Good to meet you Kent!" he said cheerfully. "So you're on an Exploration Team? That must be pretty exciting."
Air perked up eagerly, nodding vigorously. "I met his leaders too, back when we were out on that dig. They were...Keivara and Arlyn I think?" He looked to Kent for confirmation before continuing. "Keivara seemed pretty serious about her job, she's a Sawsbuck"--he quickly shifted to the Leader of Team Catalyst's form, admiring the strength it held. When Air spoke up again, the voice was distinctly the Ditto's but it was higher-pitched, and bore a distinctly feminine quality. "I didn't see much of her partner, except when you were leaving," she said, the change in gender utterly natural to Air. "But he was a Marill. There was something different about him though, maybe it was..." Once again Air began to glow and she grew much smaller and rounder, adopting a Marill form. "...A little like this?" Air finished, his voice tending toward the masculine once more. He recalled that Arlyn's stomach had had a larger white marking than was usual for the species, but he hadn't had the time to study it perfectly. The best he could give for now was a close approximation to what he remembered.
As Air did his demonstration, Eliot sat quietly beside Neo, but his eyes were on Kent the entire time. The older Growlithe hadn't bowed back to him yet, but he was waiting with all the patience he possessed in his young body. His tail wagged from side to side on the floor as his wide eyes stared at Kent hopefully and he fidgeted from time to time trying to get the other Fire Type's attention: Eliot wanted to play.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 11:54 am
Kent As Air introduced the rest of his team, Kent nodded to each in turn, adding "It's a pleasure," once the introductions were finished. He looked up at Clara, then at Air again as he commented on her shy nature. "I hate that my presence has unnerved her, but I understand. If I come by often enough perhaps my presence won't cause her as much discomfort in the future."When Neo commented on his being part of an Exploration Team, he beamed, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes! I've quite enjoyed my time with the guild thus far! We haven't actually taken any missions since I was recruited, though I was involved with the archaeological dig and the most recent trial in the Mystifying Jungle. I'm hopeful that we'll accept a mission soon."Kent nodded to Air as he inquired about Keivera and Arlyn, confirming that he had the names correct. As the Ditto transformed and took on Keivera's spring form, Kent was caught off guard as Air's voice changed and took on a more feminine tone to match his captain's gender. He was silent for a second before he spoke slowly, "Keivera is uh..." He shook his head, clearing it to recover his train of thought, "serious, yes. She takes great pride in her work and she does whatever the guild asks of her, so long as it doesn't go against her moral compass mind you. She's got a big heart and a good sense of responsibility, and what's right, and wrong. It was those qualities that made me want to be part of her team in the first place." As Air began talking about Arlyn and shifted to take on the shape of a Marill, Kent tilted his head slightly. He lifted his paw, gesturing to the white patch of fur as he talked, "Close. His white spot is smaller and the insides of his ears are also white, but that's him otherwise."He glanced over to Neo to see his reaction to Air's description of Team Catalyst, but Eliot's fidgeting caught his attention. He doubted that Neo had noticed the youngster's behavior. He could tell that the young Growlithe still wanted to play, but he had yet to broach the subject with Neo. When was the proper time to inquire or mention the issue? It was one thing Kent didn't have an answer for. He was big on proper behavior and manners, but there weren't any defined rules for this sort of thing. There was no time like the present though. He just hoped that Eliot could remain patient for a moment longer while it was discussed. "Neo, pardon me if I offend but I feel the need to say something. Your son greeted me at the door with a bow, indicating his desire to play. It is a gesture that warrants a response of some kind, but as he is yours I did not wish to approach or respond without first making sure it was acceptable."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
|
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 4:19 pm
Neo & Air & Eliot & Clara Neo noticed Kent's displeasure with Clara's actions and smiled slightly at the polite Growlithe. "It isn't your fault," the Meowstic said reassuringly, "She's just a very timid child, but she's very sweet once she warms up to you." Turning around, Neo beckoned to his daughter, extending his hand outward for her to take. "Sweetheart, come say hello to Daddy and Air's friend. He'd love to meet you."
Clara hovered nervously back and forth in the air for a long moment before floating down, immediately wrapping both arms around Neo's for comfort. The girl didn't really want to get closer to the stranger, but everyone else was and he hadn't done anything scary yet. He looked a lot like Eliot now that she was closer to him, and that was reassuring since Eliot was her older brother who took care of her. Maybe this stranger took care of people too. But she didn't dare get closer than where she floated from Daddy's arm, not yet. Instead she watched him with curious eyes, her pale form swaying slightly when the air stirred. She caught Daddy's eyes watching her expectantly and she frowned a bit before looking back at the bigger Growlithe. "Hello..." she murmured, voice no louder than a whisper. Immediately her eyes fell to the ground and she shifted further back to hide behind Daddy nervously, wondering what the stranger would do.
"That's my girl!" Neo said cheerfully, "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
Air, meanwhile, had picked up on a different part of Kent's statement and beamed cheerfully. "Yeah, I bet if you come back more she will get more comfortable with you," he said encouragingly, if in part because he wanted to see more of his Growlithe friend.
The pair of adults continued to listen as Kent explained his time at the Guild, and the relationship he had with his Teammates. Air was quick to make the alterations Kent indicated, the parts of his body that changed glowing briefly before they revealed a more precise replica of Arlyn's form. Neo, on the other hand, was genuinely interested in the Growlithe's explanation and nodded along when it was proper, listening attentively. "It sounds like you have some good times ahead of you," the Meowstic said brightly. "I think I've seen your Captain around now and again for sure"--a Pokemon of Keivera's size was hard to miss--"and she seems like a really dedicated member of the Guild. I bet she'll be an excellent leader. I just hope that I can seem as professional as she does when I have to." The Meowstic chuckled, waving a paw gently when Air immediately opened his mouth to protest his modest claims. "I imagine she's lucky to have such a devoted and enthusiastic member as yourself on her Team. Every Team should have that sort of energy." Kent seemed like a stand-up fellow, and very excited about his work: that was something that Neo admired in any Guild member, and something he encouraged within his own Team.
The next words out of Kent's mouth caught Neo off guard considerably, and for a moment he gave their guest a look of utter bewilderment. The question was just so odd--he was being asked if it was alright to play with Eliot? There was only one answer to that question in the Meowstic's mind, and it was something that didn't need any asking. Children were meant to be played with and nurtured by everyone they met, and if one person didn't entertain them another person had to anyway. He'd noticed the boy's rambunctiousness of course, and how the sound of the word "play" had set the boy's tail to wagging even more furiously than before, but now he began to wonder if he shouldn't offer to take care of the situation himself. Kent seemed awfully reluctant by asking about the whole thing... Neo didn't mind the two playing at all, but the question made the Meowstic suddenly concerned that he was somehow making his guest uncomfortable. "I, uh, don't mind at all," Neo said after a moment, his confusion and mild concern evident in his voice and on his face. "But you don't have to if you don't want to. I can take Eliot and Clara for a walk and leave you and Air to talk if you'd prefer..." The Meowstic only wanted Kent to feel comfortable visiting them, not like he had to be formal and concerned about every little thing. Although he was interested to learn more about the Growlithe, he would leave if that made the situation better for Kent: Air was allowed to have friends on his own if that was what they preferred, Neo just wished he knew what he'd done to make Kent act so distant and formal when he thought they'd been getting along well just a moment ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 1:00 pm
Kent Kent felt the shift in the mood when he brought up playing with Eliot. He wasn't sure what he had said or done exactly, but he certainly hadn't intended to make the Meowstic uncomfortable or feel that the children were in any way a bother. He quickly went over their conversation in his head only to turn up empty handed in his search for an explanation. He had been polite and proper in how he had addressed everyone, including both Clara and Eliot. He had been respectful and hadn't inquired about anything too personal, so the unease and utter bewilderment exuding off Neo was quite unexpected, concerning, and perplexing. He tilted his head to the side in confusion as he shook his head a little - his own confusion written on his face - in response to Neo's offer to take the children for a walk, "No, that isn't necessary Neo. I love children, and I'm more than happy to play with them." He smiled, trying desperately to bring things back to a more comfortable level.
Up till this point, Kent had been sitting down as the conversation had progressed. However, now having permission from Neo to play with Eliot, he looked to the youngster and smiled. In an effort to ignore the nagging in his brain about what had caused the unease (as well as to show his sincerity to Neo), he stood up slowly and began to wag his tail - much in the same manner that Eliot had been when he had mentioned "play." Finally, he stooped down, lowering his front half down, bowing in Eliot's direction. He was inviting the pup to play now, enthusiastically calling to him, "Come on Eliot!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears Crew
|
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2015 10:29 am
Neo & Air & Eliot & Clara "...Oh, alright." Neo wasn't really sure how to interpret the seemingly contradictory statements, so he settled for clasping his paws together lightly and offering a half-smile in return to Kent's own. "You can go ahead then. Eliot's been a good, patient boy." The Meowstic placed a loving paw on the child's head and rubbed him gently between the ears, and the child barked once and licked his face affectionately before turning his gaze back to Kent, eyes bright with anticipation. He'd heard the other Growlithe say the word play, and he knew what happened after other grown-ups said that word. A moment later he got what he'd been after.
With a yelp of delight, Eliot bowed back to the older dog and proceeded to pounce towards him with all the might in his little body. The half-sized puppy went careening into the older Growlithe, whatever part of him was closest, and Eliot begin to sniff Kent up and down with delight, memorizing his fiery scent. The boy's tail never stopped wagging even when he finished and bowed again, weaving from side to side to see what Kent would do and batting at the air just in front of the Growlithe's nose playfully. It was so exciting to have a new playmate, especially one who looked and smelled like he did! Eliot was, in a word, ecstatic.
Air had slipped off to stand beside Neo, who had taken a few steps back with Clara in hand, when Eliot bolted forward--all of them knowing how energetic the puppy could get during playtime. Neo watched the pair with quiet interest but his Ditto-Marill Teammate was watching his captain curiously. "Neo, what was that all about?" Air whispered, a worried expression on his face. "Is something wrong?" He hoped that Neo didn't disapprove of his friend. Air only had a few friends in the entire Guild thus far, and he liked them a lot, so it would be heartbreaking if his Leader didn't approve of them.
"I just don't get it..." Neo returned quietly, assuming Kent would be too busy with Eliot to overhear. "Instead of playing with Eliot when he was asked, he waited to get my permission first. It was just...weird. Do I really come off as that strict?" Arceus, he hoped not.
Air frowned slightly, tilting his Marill head thoughtfully. "I don't think so," the Ditto said, "I think maybe that's just the way Kent is. His Leader is a pretty serious type, so maybe he thought he head to?"
Neo shrugged, pleased, at least, that Eliot and Kent seemed to be enjoying themselves at the moment. "Maybe you're right." He still didn't like the way it made him feel though, like some sort of rigid authority figure: that just wasn't who he was.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
