victory_road | Seventh Sacrament: Challenge

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Seventh Sacrament: Challenge

Who: Walter, Wrath & Envy
Where: Ecruteak City
When: Monday, 20th Feb
Summary: To reach a truce, Envy's challenged Walter to a Pokemon Battle! Wrath is their ref/middle man.
Rating: Standard Pokemon violence
Log:
Walter waited outside the Pokemon Centre, letting the wind brush his hair from his face. This was the time and the place he and Envy had agreed to meet for their Pokemon battle, with Wrath present as a 'neutral party'. This was meant to be an exercise in trust. Proof that neither of them would attack the other. But Walter didn't trust Envy. And he couldn't be sure whether Wrath's loyalties would protect him...or if Wrath was more loyal to Envy and would betray him. He had prepared for this meeting. Checked for ways he could escape if things went south.

He mentally went over the location of the six Pokemon he'd brought with him. Assumption stood beside him, tense and breathing deeply. He was nervous, just as Walter was, but determined to do this. Reed and Psyche were out of sight, watching the events from above. They were only to show themselves and intervene if something went wrong. Joseph, Chaos and Doll were in their pokeballs, ready to fight if need be. The others he had left at home; they were either underleveled to be fighting this battle or he hadn't wanted to expose them to this situation. Darkness was the stand out; he had made it clear that he wouldn't be involved in this battle. Just as well; if Envy called upon Lyra, Walter knew Darkness would oppose to any of his Pokemon attacking her.

"Soon, Assumption. Soon." He murmured, an echo of what seemed like so long ago when he had whispered those words to a happy, bouncing Cubone who had been eager to see his friends. Assumption nodded solemnly.

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Walter isn't the only one who's on edge. The entire idea of this is that it's an encounter where something could very easily go very wrong if either person doesn't stick to their end of the bargain...but that sure doesn't make for a relaxed mood. Envy intends to keep his end, he was the one who proposed this after all, but he doesn't trust Walter either. He never trusts anybody just to say that no, they're not looking for revenge after being attacked; when paranoia keeps you alive for centuries, it's not something you let go of easily, even in this world.

He's just hoping that if things do go wrong, that Wrath doesn't get caught in it.

So he's brought a full team of his own, just in case he does wind up needing to fight his way out of a trap. Lilith, Juliet, Lucky, Samus, and Carl are all hidden away in their Pokeballs--Lilith is closest to his fingertips, if only so that he can get her out quickly if one of her illusions becomes necessary to escape. Only Chimera is out and walking alongside the two of them--it's calming just to have him out and there. The big dinosaur is a little worried about this himself, but ultimately? He's sure this will work out, and sure that if things start to go wrong, then he can stop it before it gets too bad. He's done it before, it's the advantage to being so big and so strong. And that certainty bleeds out into even into how he walks and carries himself, giving Envy some measure of grounding as they approach, even when Walter and Assumption come into view. He stops walking towards them from a good ten feet away, because better safe than sorry, and puts a more confident smirk on his face than what he's actually feeling, reaching a hand up to place it lightly on Chimera's side, while the other rests at an angle on his hip.

"Well, here we are, just like we said we would be. Are you ready?"

The only one who is apparently not on edge... is Wrath.

He bounces along at Envy's side, chin held high.

Lumbering alongside Chimera is another large Pokemon-- Mama, Wrath's Kangaskhan. Walter will know her from being on the Rocket Base, of course-- she's kind, but fair and no-nonsense. You kind of have to be, when dealing with Wrath and his raggedy menagerie of troublemakers. And she certainly doesn't look like she's going to be tolerating any trouble-making today.

"Walter!" Wrath chirps when the tall, somber man comes into view. He looks for all the world like they're all just getting together for a playdate. "I'm gonna sit on Mama's shoulders, so that I can see everything!"

Envy's casual confidence made Walter mentally withdraw more. He'd never been confident and had only seen it from people who had hurt him in the past, so it sent a spike of nervous anticipation through him. Assumption reached up and held his hand, grounding him. Hearing and seeing Wrath helped as well, along with the stern Kangaskhan. He used to have trouble being around her but he was better now. At least being in the same place as her.

He breathed out slowly. Assumption squeezed his hand. Focus.

"Yes, I am. One Pokemon each?" He knew Envy had been here before him. By and large, he wasn't sure what to make of how other Pokemon trained their Pokemon, given he had been around Manaka and Wrath and their teams of miscreants. But it was safest to assume the worst, and the worst in this scenario is that Envy had a full team of highly trained, powerful Pokemon. Walter had faith in his Pokemon but he knew they had yet to reach their full potential.

Well, Walter's certainly not wrong. Envy did in fact bring a team of some of his best battlers--although not the very best two, because even he knew that Izumi and Imp's aggressive streaks might...not be the best thing for this.

But the battle itself isn't as important as the encounter just going well, so Envy nods.

"Yeah, sure. Wrath, you and Mama wanna go stand over there to watch?"

As he points to where he's talking about, he gives Chimera a little nudge with his hand. He's choosing his starter. Chimera places one of his own clawed hands lightly on top of Envy's head in return, nodding with a rumble before moving into the space between Walter and Envy.

"All right, Chimera, go."

And as much as he's calmed down and can't be truly angry at Assumption for what happened, it would be a lie to say that part of him wasn't hoping that Walter chose the Marowak. Envy has no idea what typing Assumption even is now, but at least part of it has to be fire, right?

Wrath wastes no time in scampering up the Kangaskhan like a monkey and perching there.

She rumbles obligingly and plods over to the spot indicated, her heavy tail brushing the ground. Doesn't sit, though.

Should this encounter require intervention, she knows she'd better stay on her feet.

Walter checked Chimeria with his Gear, having never seen a Pokemon like him before. Rock and Dark...he knew the point wasn't to win, but he couldn't help tensing. He didn't have a good type match-up against this.

Assumption stepped forward however. Walter immediately turned to him. "Assumption..." This was especially bad. Assumption would've had the advantage as a Cubone. But as a Marowak, he was weak to both of Chimera's types. But Assumption gave him a determined look. Wordlessly, they spoke through the strange bond they shared. Walter felt Assumption's determination. His firmness that this was his battle to fight, to establish trust with again. He sighed deeply, closing his eyes.

He nodded reluctantly. Assumption turned to Chimera and spun his bone, setting it alight. "...Bone rush." At the command Assumption charged forward, gripping his club in two hands and striking out at Chimera.

Assumption has the advantage of speed for sure; Chimera is too big and heavily-armored to dodge the attack. But the moment that first command was given and the battle began, sand begins to swirl and pour out of the holes in the Tyranitar's armor, whipping into a stinging storm--Envy's sure to take some extra steps back to avoid it as much as he can.

Chimera holds his arms up to block the brunt of the hit from hitting him square in the chest, and it does clearly hurt him...but that heavy armor means it doesn't leave as much of a dent as it could have.

Envy pulls out his own 'Gear, because he needs to get a typing on the new kind of Marowak...Fire and Ghost, then?

"Crunch, while he's close!"

Chimera lunges down, although those jaws are aiming more for the bone than Assumption himself, trying to grab onto it to keep the other Pokemon in range.

Walter had never heard of a sandstorm before, let alone seen or experienced one. He couldn't hide his surprise as the sand whipped up and fanned out. He ducked his head, shielding his eyes but refusing to step back from the battle.

Assumption had also never battled in the midst of Sandstorm before. He tried to back away but the moment Chimera latched onto his bone, he began to struggle, trying to free his precious club.

"Headbutt!" Walter shouted, the wind of the storm threatening to mute his normally soft volume. Assumption snarled, lowering tot he ground before launching himself at Chimera's head, hoping to use the attack to free his club.

The Headbutt doesn't do a whole lot of damage, or even appear to rattle Chimera very much...but at least Assumption's bony head will probably keep him from suffering from having headbutted basically a large rock.

...but, strangely, Chimera does let go of the bone and let Assumption yank it back, although it's more because:

"Whirlpool!"

Over the years of Pokemon battling, Envy's gotten mostly used to say, the sight of a water vortex spiraling up out of literally nowhere while there's also a sandstorm. But it's still weird as hell to actually see.

Walter's seen walls bleed and been transported back and forth between reality and a grimy, dark Otherworld since he was a child. Physics had long lost meaning to him. But as he had never seen a whirlpool before either, suddenly seeing the violent swirl of water rise up from the ground during a sandstorm was alarming. He could see Assumption through the mess of elements whipping around the centre of the battlefield.

"Assumption! Bonemerang!" He tried to maintain his stoic demeanour, not letting his worry bleed into his voice. Some part of his mind shouted that he couldn't let Envy know how worried he was about Assumption, that he'd use it to hsi advantage somehow.

From within the swirling sand and whirling water, Assumption had been swept up into the tide. Battered by both the sand and water, he tried to hold his footing to toss the bone at Chimera. Sadly the shot went slightly wide - although it still circled to return to Assumption.

This time, Chimera doesn't try to catch the bone as it sails past him--it would be almost cruel at this point, even in battle, to take away Assumption's weapon.

Envy, meanwhile, can tell that this isn't going to last very much longer. He's almost tempted to finish this with a move that'd be way overkill--Earthquake, maybe, or Stone Edge...or Toxic. But...that wouldn't really help the reason they're here in the first place.

Something less violent then, but still quick.

"Dark Pulse!"

The purple glow that builds up around Chimera illuminates him clearly even through all the sand, and when the wave of energy bursts out in a ring across the "battlefield", the reflection off the sand and water makes the whole thing flash purple.

Assumption cried out in the centre of the storm, unable to avoid the ring of energy with the sand and water trapping him in place. He was easily knocked away. Shakily, he tried to rise up, using his club to push himself up and support his weight. But he couldn't stand. He tried again. He didn't want to lose. He didn't want to fail.

"N̶̮͍̥̳o̥̪.͎̭.̗̙̻̮̗.̷ͅ"

Seeing his Pokemon struggle, Walter bit his lip. He had taught Assumption that suffering was the path to Paradise. But he had already suffered. He was still suffering.

"Enough." Assumption tried to shake his head, still trying to stand. Walter turned to Envy. "Enough!"

Envy's honestly surprised that Assumption is still able to try standing...and only that clear difficulty tempers the wave of wariness that surges up when Walter calls for a stop to the battle. If it hadn't been for that, Envy's instincts would have been screaming that it was clearly a trap, that there would be another attack as soon as his and Chimera's guards were down.

But this is about trust, isn't it?

"Chimera, that's enough, it's over. You can stop now."

The sandstorm had already started to slow as soon as Walter had called out, and with Envy's affirmation that the battle was over it really begins to thin as the grains lose their damaging speed and seem to be sucked back into the Tyranitar's body where they'd come from. The whirlpool, too, slows and falls back into the ground. Chimera leans down towards Assumption, but not aggressively.

You did very well, it was a good battle. I'm sure your trainer will take you to be healed right away.

Walter tensed when Chimera leaned over Assumption, half convinced he was about to bite down upon him. This was meant to be an exercise in trust, but Walter was still mentally panicking. He was still locked in the mindset that something would happen, Envy or Chimera or Henry would just appear and attack and Wrath would just watch.

"...I failed him." Assumption murmured miserably. He didn't resist as Walter approached and eased him up, drawing him away from Chimera protectively. Walter checked over Assumption's injuries, checking him over gently and half crouched voer him, to cover him should Chimera suddenly strike out. This was still all his fault. He wanted to retreat and hide away from the world. Again.

Assumption was hurt but he had his other Pokemon. Reed and Psyche were nearby. His other Pokemon were in his belt. He could escape. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. He eased back and slid off his backpack, pulling out some medicine. Assumption accepted it quietly.

Edited 2017-03-03 22:24 (UTC)

Chimera holds very still as Walter comes over, so as not to startle the clearly worried human.

"Nonsense, it is not failing to lose a battle. You were very brave to volunteer to fight me when you did not have to, and I'm sure he is proud of you for doing your best."

Envy, meanwhile, is coming forward--slowly--to check on Chimera himself; the Bone Rush from the beginning left some dents. Even then, he stays a foot or two away, beckoning for the Tyranitar to meet him halfway.

"C'mere, let me see what it looks like...ahh, not too bad, the nurses'll fix that just fine," he glances at Walter, still feeling not entirely secure in being very close.

"Chimera's not going to hurt a fly outside of a battle, just so you know."

"...Chimera doesn't frighten me as much as others." Walter admitted quietly, rising after he had taken care of Assumption's most pressing injuries. Well, Chimera did scare him. But he knew that Chimera would respond to Envy's orders and at the end of the day, people were far greater monsters than any other creature or being he knew.

"It's my fault we had to battle. And I have to be strong to protect him. He won't protect himself." Assumption told Chimera, standing up more steadily after the medicine took effect. Walter would still need to take him to the Pokemon Centre but he wasn't in pain.

Edited 2017-03-03 22:30 (UTC)

_{[It isn't honestly all that surprising that the battle was over quickly-- certainly not to Wrath, in any case.]

[Envy had been the most powerful Homunculus out of them all back home, and the same was true here-- even if that power came from having been training Pokemon for seven years rather than being trained himself for over three hundred. Wrath didn't spend any time thinking about the logistics-- just the fact that it was true there, it was true here, and that's just the way it was.]

[What HE'S concerned with is cheating. Which, MIRACULOUSLY, there wasn't any! Hurrah!]

[Completely ignoring the still-lingering tension between the two trainers, Wrath bounds straight back into the middle of them, beaming.]}

See? See? I told you both nobody would play unfair!

Envy very nearly jumps when Wrath bounds over, putting a hand on his hip and huffing lightly, as though absolutely everything is normal. Nervous and tense who's nervous and tense it's definitely not Envy no sir.

"I told you I wasn't going to cheat, didn't I?"

And...well, Walter hadn't either, even when he'd been losing badly. There had been no sudden attack while he was distracted with the fight, Assumption hadn't flung his club into Chimera's face after the battle had ended. Hopefully it will stay that way, but Envy's not going to relax until this is completely over.

Chimera isn't paying attention to Wrath--his focus on Assumption has increased dramatically. Not trying to protect himself had never been his own trainer's problem as much as ability to had. He rumbles again, thoughtfully.

"Losing still does not make you weak, or a failure, and your trainer was in no danger from mine. But, hmm, I...understand how you feel. Maybe we could talk?"

Assumption considered Chimera. And nodded. He turned to Walter and patted his hand comfortingly - he knew his teammates were close by to protect him - and took a few steps towards the large Tyranitar. He wasn't afraid of his fellow Pokemon. It was humans who had hurt Walter, and humans who still proved to be a problem thus far.

Walter nodded to Wrath. He was still wary but currently, things had worked out well. He was very glad Wrath hadn't tried to hurt him. That would've been...not unexpected, but sad. He kept an eye on Assumption as he went to talk with Envy's Pokemon however. He wouldn't understand their conversation, but he could gauge Assumption's mood. He folded his arms.

"I'm glad you didn't bring Lyra. Darkness would've been extremely unhappy with me, if I had to fight her."

Fortunately for Walter, and... well, most of the humans Wrath had encountered in this world thus far... no one had yet given the little monster any particularly pressing reasons to cause them harm.

Everybody here seemed much nicer than the humans in his own world.

In any case, Wrath just seems happy that it all went off without a hitch.

"Yes, but you do cheat sometimes, Envy. I've seen it. I'm very proud of you, that you didn't."

He shoots Walter a GIANT grin, as if to say 'See?'

As Assumption approaches him, Chimera settles down to a sitting position. Even if he'd won and been tended a little already, it was still a battle.

"Let's see, where should I start...hm. I should say that the reason I can understand what you're feeling is that other humans have attacked my trainer too before. Once when I was very small and could do nothing about it. Is that how it was for you?"

Assumption looked between Chimera and the humans, before finally settling into a kneel, club held in his lap. He remembered that night, so vividly.

"My trainer had told me about the Reciever of Wisdom; a special human who held the keys to Paradise. We were to protect him while he was in this world with our trainer. I didn't think I would meet him. Not up close. But we were out one foggy morning - my trainer likes the fog. And he was there. Henry. The Reciever.

He'd always talked about him being special and quiet. But. He saw my trainer and started screaming. And he lunged at him, trying to hurt him. I just...started crying. Because we were meant to protect Henry. And I couldn't protect my trainer. They broke apart and my trainer fell to the floor. I jumped onto his chest to hug him. And I thought...I thought Henry would stop. His Sylveon was trying to make him stop. But he pushed him away, and grabbed a brick. He was going to kill my trainer. I knew he was going to. But someone else made him stop, and took him away.

He kept saying that he would kill my trainer. And Walter never said...he only ever nodded. Like it was okay. But...it shouldn't be okay. It's not okay." Assumption teared up. Walter never fought back. No matter who tried to hurt him, he never tried to protect himself.

"He told us, we weren't allowed back in Goldenrod. My trainer...he's not. He's usually sad and alone. But in Goldenrod, we have friends. We went back to see them. And we ran into Henry." His expression darked, and he tightened his hold on his club. "He attacked my trainer again. I screamed at him, but he hit my trainer and went to hit him again. He was going to try and kill him and my trainer was just... he wasn't trying to get away, or fight back, or even ask him to stop."

"So I stopped him. And if he touches my trainer again, I won't stop until he's dead!"

Chimera sits and listens to Assumption's story. He'd heard some of the upsetting events before, but...hm. When Assumption is finished, he shakes his big head sadly.

"That sounds very frightening. It is never right, when the humans try to fight each other. It is not how things were meant to be, they get hurt so much easier. And it was not right for Henry to attack your trainer the way he did, when your trainer did not try to attack him first. But...you are much stronger than him, it would not be right of you to kill Henry. Stop him, yes, but Pokemon killing humans is wrong."

And that, he is emphatic about. He lifts a claw up to tap at his chin, thinking this over a little more.

"It is so strange. Henry has always been so kind and quiet, in all the time I've known him, but in the last months he has acted...strange. Afraid, like a Pokemon being hunted. That is why my trainer is so worried and angry about yours, I think, they have always been very good friends. I have heard them talking as though your trainer is going to come and attack us, even though your Walter has done no such thing and Henry has gone after yours first."

Assumption remained quiet when Chimera insisted he shouldn't kill Henry. He knew deep down that he was right. But it didn't soothe his anger and worry. Walter wouldn't protect himself. How many times would he need to strike Henry until he stopped? Because at the moment, to the young Marowak, it seemed like Henry wouldn't stop.

"My trainer made it clear to us that we were not to hurt Henry. He did send Darkness over to watch over him and make sure he was okay, because he knew Henry wouldn't want to see him. And he didn't announce himself to Henry when he knew he was here because he didn't know what to say or do."

In Assumption's eyes, Walter had been acting as a protector. Which only made Henry's attacks all the more deplorable.

"My trainer...back home, he was tasked with a very special job. And for part of it, he had to 'separate himself from the flesh' and become a Ghost. He said he'd have to do the same to Henry. But once it's done, Paradise will open, and everyone will be happy. But, Henry can kill him and it won't happen. And that's...that's how things are." He held his club to his chest, looking up at Walter. "He said he can't do it here. That he's not dead, the angel isn't with him and that it's all wrong. So he'd never hurt Henry here."

"Hmmm."

Chimera rumbles as he thinks these new tidbits over. He didn't know everything, he wasn't always in the room when Henry and Envy had talked about Walter, and mostly they hadn't talked so much as given brief updates on what was going on. He knew much of what Envy knew about what had happened this time, because Envy had told all of the Pokemon he was bringing what they were walking into before they'd come here.

"I think maybe I should tell you about my own trainer, because it sounds like something like what happened when he was attacked. Sometimes people from the place he is from have come here, and without him having done anything to them or tried to hurt them, they have come to attack him. At least, that is what it seemed like to me."

"But before he came here, my trainer had done...I am not sure I understand what it is he had done, it does not all make sense to me, but he had hurt them. And even though he was not going to hurt them now, they did not believe that and thought that they would have to fight him to protect themselves. And some thought that he should hurt because of how he had hurt them. They did not know that things were different, because they did not know him very well and did not see how hard he was trying to be better. I...could not always protect him from them, but I tried when I could."

"But two of them learned, and they were some of the ones who he had hurt very badly. It took a very long time, but they have even lived together in the same house as him and do not try to hurt each other anymore, even if they do not always get along."

Assumption lowered his eyes to the floor, listening to Chimera. Had Walter hurt Henry? He...he might have done. Walter did talk about the ritual and some of what it involved; not everything, Assumption didn't know about the nightmares and gore...but he knew about the blood and the bad monsters Henry had to fight, and that Walter had fought them too. He'd heard names, sacrifices but he hadn't been told what each sacrifice had required.

He knew Walter had killed other people. But, but if they all went to Paradise after, it was for the Greater good, so everyone could be happy...right?

Assumption hugged his club, tears stinging at his eyes. "Nobody wants to talk to him. They always stay away. And he knows they don't like him- it's why he avoids them and I can't tell them how nice he is to me. And he...he doesn't like himself either. He...he hurts himself." A lot of this had been building up, especially after not seeing his friends for so long. Evolving had made Assumption aware of Walter's feelings and, to his utter sadness and horror, he now knew why Walter hurt himself. He couldn't stop talking now he had started, tears falling. "He's alone and sad and thinks he's horrible and deserves to be hurt. That's partly why he doesn't fight back."

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Seventh Sacrament: Challenge

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CHIMERA AND ASSUMPTION

I AM SORRY

NOT AS SORRY AS ME

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