Nineteenth Sacrament: Messenger

[11121_assumption]

[ It's a wonderful wintery day today. The radio is on, playing all the classics of the season...over and over again. This is probably the fifteenth time you've heard 'Winter Wonderland' this week. But as it ends, a jingle interrupts the broadcast and a tinny voice speaks over the Gear. ]

Need a get away? Looking for some excitement? Then do I have the offer for you This is your chance to win tickets tooooo-! [ There's a drumroll! ] Lakeside Amusement Park! We have something for everyone, from tiny tots to grown adults! Rollercoasters, carousels, live shows, a fortune house and the famously infamous Borely Haunted Mansion are just some of the many attractions at Lakeside Amusement Park. Located in serene Silent Hill by the beautiful Lake Toluca, this offer includes a free stay at the four-star Lakeside Hotel, free of charge!

For your chance to win this prize, simply answer this riddle!

[ The riddle is given in a lyrical tone, as if half-sung. It sounds like it was recorded separately from the rest of the broadcast, but still in a tinny, unfamiliar voice. ]

The scorpion dies to the archer's arrow
unable to use it's sting.
The water-bearer drops the fish
and away they swim.

The bull is tamed by a set of twins
But my question is thus
Who can tame the wayward lion
from creating a fuss?

Did you get that? Good! Text your answer to the following number... and you could win this incredible prize! [ There's a sudden hiss and the radio returns to it's scheduled broadcast. Aka more christmas music. Weird... You could try the number they gave if you want this prize, but there's no Silent Hill in Kanto or Johto, is there? And those who had inherited certain Pokemon belonging to Walter Sullivan might find that those Pokemon have suddenly vanished. ]

Comments

[Text]

[freckledfocus]

Is it the virgin?

[Text from Walter's Rotom 8D ]

[11121_assumption]

DING DING DING!

Congratulations! You are absolutely correct! You've won the prize! Where should we send the tickets to and who are they for?

[Text]

[freckledfocus]

Really? That's awesome!

I'm Prompto and the tickets are for me and my friends! Uh, how many tickets are there? Gotta know how many of my friends can come with me, right?

Oh, I'm in Goldenrod right now. So I guess send them there?

I feel so bad for doing this to the pure boy

[11121_assumption]

There's THREE tickets for you and your friends to share! They will be sent there for Friday, the 3rd December!

[Text] Oh he's gonna be so confused

[freckledfocus]

Um, it's December 17th right now. I think. I'm pretty sure. So wouldn't that make the tickets expired?

[How ... do tickets to amusement parks actually expire?]

[11121_assumption]

The tickets don't expire! I said they would ARRIVE on the 3d of December!

[freckledfocus]

But that's in the past. How will I get them if they arrive on the 3rd?

[Oh he is completely confused now.]

[11121_assumption]

Then you already have them! We look forward to seeing you in Silent Hill!

[Text]

[notmyrealname]

[Lake Toluca. She knew that name. She'd heard it before--heard about it before from Walter during one of their last conversations before..

As she slowly put two and two together, Cissnei had went looking for Gloom the Gengar only to find the ghost missing.

Well isn't that interesting?

Thus, she responds.]

Sounds like a rather lovely place. Lake Toluca that is. How would one get there from here though?

[Text]

[11121_assumption]

[ And Walter recognised her number. He signaled to Radio that he would answer this one himself, the mischievous Rotom already halfway through typing an answer. ]

That depends on what town you are currently in. You would need to go to Silent Hill.

[Text]

[notmyrealname]

Silent Hill. Curious. I haven't encountered that particular place before.

Which region would I need to be in to find it? I'm assuming it's probably a small place not on the map.

[Text]

[11121_assumption]

It is a tourist town in Maine.

You have not answered the riddle yet.

[Text]

[notmyrealname]

The Virgin.

Text]

[11121_assumption]

You are correct.

There are two people who know the way to Silent Hill in Johto. There is one person in Kanto.

[Text]

[notmyrealname]

Good to know. I'll have to see if I can find the way.

[Text]

[11121_assumption]

We look forward to seeing you.

[Text] SO SO SO LATE my apologies

[foolishwren]

<sub>[OKAY SO?? THIS WAS THE MOST HORRIFYING THING SHE COULD POSSIBLY IMAGINE HEARING ON THE NETWORK UNEXPECTEDLY? LIKE, EVERYTHING ABOUT IT?]

[The tinny voice, the locations... and especially seeing the words Silent Hill confirmed in the other responses.

[In fact, she kind of had to completely drop what she was doing and just go sit somewhere for awhile, listening to the message over and over with her heart in her throat.]

[But she knows the riddle. Harry had taught her the constellations as a child-- at least one old room from one of their previous apartments probably still had the little star stickers all over the ceiling. And she knows her skin won't stop crawling until she investigates further.]</sub>

Virgo, the Virgin.

IT'S FINE thanks for the shout that you hit this <3

[11121_assumption]

[ Unfortunately, Walter had no idea about Heather's...'issues' with Lakeside Amusement Park. He certainly hadn't rubbed his hands together and decided he was going to ruin her day with this. It was simply a place he had known of and could use for this purpose. He couldn't exactly offer tickets to visit Lake Toluca itself.

He recognised her number and made it clear to Radio that he would be answering this 'entrant' to their competition. ]

You are correct, Heather.

[foolishwren]

<sub>[So they knew her name, whoever they were.]

[The possibility that it might be Walter hasn't yet occurred to her-- she still thinks he's gone, and he isn't the only cultist to have come to this world.]</sub>

Who are you?

[11121_assumption]

Walter Sullivan.

I never left this world.

[11121_assumption]

[ There's a pause before he sends off another text. ]

There is a lot to explain.

I'm sorry, for sending Assumption to you. I needed to disappear. This message is his call to return to me.

[foolishwren]

What the




Walter what happened


I mean it's fine, Assumption's been fine

But you're right, you have some explaining to do

[11121_assumption]

[ It takes a while to type this, to make sure the words he's chosen are the best for explaining this. And once it's sent, he sets his Gear down and watches it quietly. ]

When I awoke in this world, it was in Team Rocket's base. They informed me that I was to work for them, and gave me a Pokemon. That is how I met Assumption. I was told that if I served them well, they would repay my services. If I did not, I would be punished.

Back then I had been weak. I only had Assumption, and Darkness, and I did not understand how I was here, or why. It does not excuse what I have done while working for them. But I grew powerful. I realised how pathetic they are, and how weak their 'punishments' are. I had endured far worse as a child.

Heather, I caused the fire in Goldenrod. That warehouse was being used by them to produce elemental stones, by draining Pokemon of their power.

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Honestly very few possibilities for this situation could horrify Heather more than the thought of some other new cultist in Johto making weird broadcasts about Toluca Lake over the network, so while the long wait definitely gave her a sense of foreboding, actually reading what he says is, comparatively, a relief.]

[Him being in Team Rocket is definitely new information, but... he's not the former Rocket she's known. Or CURRENT, for that matter.]

[Ralph had been a Rocket. She knows he hadn't wanted to be, even if he'd gone along with it for longer than he maybe should have. And it's basically an unspoken house secret that the little Wrath kid wears a red 'R' when he's away from home.]

[And if anybody throwing off the shackles of a malicious organization is good news, it sure is for Walter.]</sub>

Well holy shit.

I literally didn't expect any of what you just typed.

Except the part about Team Rocket being sleazy anyway.




Never thought I'd say this about someone committing arson but

You probably did the right thing

_{[Because fuck Team Rocket.]}

And I'm




glad that you're safe.

[11121_assumption]

[ Sadly Walter had only briefly known Ralph, not enough for him to have inspired this turn around.

Hearing her say she's glad he's safe though...he doesn't know how to take that at first. Obviously it was a nice thing to say but...it had been very, very rare that anyone had been happy to see him. And given what he's admitted to, he's surprised anyone would be happy to know him now. He was expecting more anger, more threats, something more similar to when everyone had found out that he was connected to the Order. ]

I'm surprised. That you're not angry, and that you're glad I'm safe.

Thank you.

I'm not sure how long I will need to hide like this. I released a Pokemon from them at the labs; a Pokemon born of the Sun. Her wrath engulfed the base in fire but. She saved me. I thought she would have killed me. For so long I had been there while they hurt her. I tried to show her some kindness but, it was nothing compared to what she endured. But when the fire was all around me, she took me out of the warehouse and demanded I capture her. She's with me now.