victory_road | Nineteenth Sacrament: Messenger

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Nineteenth Sacrament: Messenger

[ 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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_{[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.]}

Virgo, the Virgin.

[ 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.

_{[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.]}

Who are you?

Walter Sullivan.

I never left this world.

Edited 2017-12-31 02:36 (UTC)

[ 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.

What the

Walter what happened

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

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

Edited 2018-01-02 18:42 (UTC)

[ 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.

_{[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.]}

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.

[ 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.

_{[Well, fortunately, Team Rocket never burned Heather alive in a perverse arcane ritual, put a god inside her, kept her prisoner in a basement for seven years, abused and brainwashed all her friends, tried to kidnap her at a young age, murdered her father, and destroyed her life and the lives of almost every other Otherworld survivor she's ever met.]

[But they're still pretty shitty so:]}

Angry? I freaking hate Team Rocket. They don't scare me but they still cause a lot of panic and damage on like, a regular basis. I know they recruit new people right off the bat without giving them a choice, too.

Screw them! If I knew where their lab was maybe I'd have tried to blow it up, too.

But enough of that

I'm sure the Pokemon you rescued knows what you did for her. What kind of Pokemon is she?

She is a Volcarona. I named her Alessa.

I didn't expect her to spare me. When she turned her rage on the other researchers, I thought she would kill me as well. And I would have understood why. But, she took me out of the warehouse. And she refused to leave me after. So, she's with me now.

Would you like to see her?

_{[Her heart kind of skips a beat when she reads the name.]

[But, she reminds herself, he doesn't know.]

[Which makes it somewhere between unnerving and... touching. Especially given the circumstances he described, which tug something deep in her chest that hasn't been tugged in awhile.]}

When you're in that kind of situation, the people who show you kindness really stand out.

_{[She'd know.]}

I'd love to see her.

[ He remembered kindness sticking out as well but he still thought she'd kill him. He didn't really see himself as worthy of not dying for being involved in any way. It was the sort of thing he wouldn't think of reconsidering, until someone really pointed out how flawed this logic was.

Still, the Gear chimes for an incoming video call and there's Walter, standing outside. He looks stoic but there is some unease in how he nods to her. Notably he doesn't seem too cold despite the freezing weather - and it looks like any snow around him had melted. He turns his head to raise his voice slightly, calling to someone nearby. ]

Alessa, Heather would like to see you. She is...she is trustworthy.

[ And here she comes. She's massive for a Volcarona, looming over Walter and there's a large scar on her abdomen and her wings look frayed and torn at the edges. She fluttered down to gently settle on Walter's shoulders and back, wings flapping lazily so she isn't resting her entire weight upon him. Walter turned his head, lifting a hand to gently touch on of the legs holding his shoulder. ]

Alessa, this is Heather. She was raised by the Order as well. She escaped from them. Heather, this is Alessa.

[ Alessa gave a surprisingly soft trill to Heather, given her massive and roughened appearance. ]

_{[She answers the call immediately and pops up-- she's looking a little disheveled in her ugly holiday sweater, but she's indoors. Clearly home for the holidays.]

[As for Alessa... wow.]

[She'd looked up what a Volcarona was ages ago, for the sake of seeing what Carrie would evolve into should Heather ever train her, but the Pokedex hadn't quite conveyed how huge it was. Even injured and scarred, the sight is still pretty awe-inspiring.]

[Lifting a hand, she offers a tired but heartfelt smile. The sight honestly made any discomfort she might have felt about hearing her own name applied to somebody else's Pokemon evaporate. Because if any Pokemon fit that name... it's this one.]}

Hi there, Alessa.

Sounds like you've had a pretty rough time of it... glad to hear you gave them hell.

[ Alessa nodded to her, giving another soft chirp. They deserved it. Walter seemed thoughtful, before speaking quietly to Heather. ]

Did they...were you taught about St. Alessa? I wasn't. I, found out about her after I left the orphanage.

_{[She swallows before speaking.]}

Yeah.

I know about her.

_{[The fact that he didn't learn of her until he left the orphanage is new information, though.]}

Enough to know that you chose a fitting name for your friend.

It is...?

[ Walter spoke very softly because...well, this was something beyond what the Order had drilled and beaten into his head. ]

I...I found out that she was divine, like I was made to be. So, I thought that...maybe she had to suffer too. Like I had. So it felt right for her, since she is the Sun Pokemon, and endured such pain.

[ He sheepishly shook his head, although Alessa leaned down to touch her head to his. ]

I know St. Alessa might not have, or did not feel as I had about it.

I don't think she felt like you did. She was a different person.

But you both suffered. Horribly.

And neither of you deserved to.

_{[She's not sure she likes having this conversation on video-- it's harder to mask the emotion behind her words. It would be so much easier in text.]

[But wellp,it's happening. She'll just try to sound as... not 'Hey what's up I'm Alessa Gillespie and I fuckin murdered God' as possible.]}

[ He sighed deeply. ]

I thought as much. It was just...when it was hard, to just be in the world, it was... it was just a thought to have. I know she probably bore her suffering better than I had. And would have condemned me for what I did.

[ Walter thought Alessa not feeling how he had meant that she was more willing to do her divine duty. After all, he'd pushed it back for six years and felt nothing but utter hatred for those who made him suffer, when he was meant to be understanding towards mankind. He had no idea how hard Alessa had fought against being the Mother of God.

Above him, his own Alessa gave another soft trill, leaning over him and emitting warmth from her wings. Even if Saint Alessa would have condemned him, she wouldn't. He tipped his head up, leaning into her a little. ]

_{[Of course, she can't read his mind, so she's oblivious to the dark thoughts swirling in his head.]}

For the murdering, yeah. Probably.

_{[Even though she had once done the same... not as gruesomely, admittedly, but she too had been a gun that the Order could point at other human beings.]}

The rest, probably not.

But there's not much point in dwelling on it in this place.

We just gotta keep moving forward.

[ He'd always suspected as much. But it still hurt slightly to hear that. He didn't look to Heather, turning his eyes up to Alessa instead. ]

I can't leave it behind. Or ignore it.

It's a miracle she saw any worth in me. [ Alessa trilled gently, pressing her head to his crown. ]

No, we carry our pasts with us whether we like it or not. That's something I've learned pretty hard over the years. But that just means we have to build up the strength to carry while we keep moving.

Getting swole, metaphorically.

I'm not sure where I was going with that.

Anyway... like I said, kindness stands out.

Are you guys going to be safe?

From Team Rocket, I mean.

[ Walter has no idea what 'getting swole' meant, so best to leave it be. At the mention of Team Rocket, he went over his thought process regarding them. ]

I know the cities Team Rocket has lodgings in. My Pokemon are stronger than individual members of theirs. They do rely on their numbers, and on underhand tactics to gain an advantage. For now I intend to avoid the network. I don't...expect many people to still want to know me after this.

...There is one person. I told them about Lake Toluca. She has heard this message and responded, that she will look for a way to find Silent Hill.

_{[Definitely for the best.]}

You're not the first person to ditch those guys and I'm sure you won't be the last. If people hold it against you... well.

_{[Nothing anybody could do about it. But she doesn't. She didn't hold it against Ralph, either.]

[Of course, what he says next makes her blanch a little bit. Just because... hhh.]}

Do they know that name's a code and not a real place here?

Because thank god it's not a real place here.

[ ...What had Toluca Lake ever done to Heather? He doesn't hide a slight frown, folding his arms while Alessa merely leaned forward curiously. What was this girl's problem with whereabouts Walter had grown up? ]

I told her it was the lake I grew up beside, and one of my favourite places in Silent Hill. I also told her it was in Maine, and that there is someone here who knows the way.

Edited 2018-01-27 12:48 (UTC)

Nineteenth Sacrament: Messenger

[Text] SO SO SO LATE my apologies

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

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