Twenty-fourth Sacrament: Otherworld

[11121_assumption]

There's something wrong.

The footage shows...somewhere. It's not clear where it is. The ground is nothing but rugged rock and there seems to be construction in the distance. But the sky is blood red - not the soft orange of a setting sun but a hellish red. Despite it's glow, the world seemed dark. Almost grimy, with strange rust covering the rocks around. The scene was in front of some kind of ruined building, covered in red rust and scorch damage. The usual background music that played had been replaced with something far more ominous, giving no further clues about where the footage was taking place. It repeatedly corrupts, flashing a strange symbol before cutting back to the scene. Strange cries echoed in the distance. 

A Solrock hovered in front of the husk of a building, surprisingly clear of the corruption around it and turning, like a wheel. And with it was Walter. Something was wrong with him as well. His gaze was blank. His clothes were stained with blood. He only turned his head slowly up to the Solrock hovering in front of him and for a moment, as the Solrock's eyes shone, his eyes glowed red. The Solrock stopped turning, looking at him with a blank expression. He murmured to it, only just audible on the video. "I knew you would find me again." 

The Solrock's expression didn't change. It's eyes glowed again, and something lifted from Walter's bag - an Ultra Ball. The ball floated towards the Solrock, lightly tapping it. The moment the Solrock disappeared into the ball, the world righted itself; red sky to a starry night, blood and rust vanishing, the mansion disappearing, music fading back to it's usual, cheery tone and the weird echoing cries of strange Pokemon replaced with the chirps of Fletchlings and Wingulls. 

Walter collapsed. The Gear fell as well. All that could be seen was the Ultra Ball, landing in front of it. It shook once, then clicked shut.

Comments

[Video]

[11121_assumption]

[ Once he's righted up and revived by Assumption, the gear gets picked up and handed to him. He still looks rough and dazed. Assumption is pressed into his side and a Luxray is hunched behind him, growling and glaring out into the dark.

While he saw Heather, he didn't seem to look at her. His gaze was faraway, like he was still in that weird rift. ]

....I'm fine. [ But he's not fine. It's so obvious he's really not fine. ]

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[Yeah that is not the glazed-over stare of a person who is fine.]}

I... don't think I believe that.

Where are you?

Do you know where you are?

[11121_assumption]

[ He looked around, to check his surroundings. It's easy to travel through the otherworld and end up in a very different location to the one you started in. ]

Cinnabar Island.

[foolishwren]

Cinnabar...

<sub>[Oh. Oh, no wonder she hadn't recognized it. Even aside from the nightmarish illusions, which... are still sticking in the soft parts of her brain like fish hooks even as she speaks, she hadn't actually gone to Cinnabar Island proper after defeating Blaine.]

[But okay, whew. At least he's not ... actually in the Otherworld.]

[Because irrational or not, the fear had struck her genuinely for a moment.]</sub>

What the hell just happened? What is that Pokemon?

[11121_assumption]

A Solrock. Another Pokemon of the Sun...

[ It's obvious what his train of thought is here. ]

It's followed me, since I stepped foot on this island. Just like he did.

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Ooooh no. Nooooope. DANGIT.]

[She sees where that train of thought is heading.]</sub>

Walter, that's a Pokemon.

A very, very creepy Pokemon.

It's not... you know.

Him.

[11121_assumption]

I know. But, it must be a messenger.

[ He curled his arms around Assumption, holding him tightly to him. ]

Something's coming.

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather exhales sharply. Her head is still... kinda spinning. Enough that the response she'd normally give without hesitation (which is 'No, it isn't') doesn't spring to her tongue so readily.]}

Pokemon aren't agents of the Order.

Or of God.

_{[Heather if only you knew what Wolf and Kite thought of themselves...]}

But I'm pretty sure that one is straight-up evil.

[11121_assumption]

Pokemon are a gift from God. Some, more directly than others. [ Claudia had been a miracle. But it didn't lessen the value of his other Pokemon, the ones who had chosen to approach him or hatched in his care. ]

It's... it's just as it was back home. This was, how it was. All my life. And death. It can't just be a coincidence. It's from the Sun.

[foolishwren]

I'm not saying it's a coincidence, I'm just saying it's not what you think it is.

That thing... is not from God, but it might well stand to benefit from YOU thinking that it is. _{[She REALLY did not like the look in that thing's creepy glowing eyes as it pulled images it should have no knowledge of presumably out of Walter's head, the same way all those ghosts back in Ecruteak had squeezed Claudia out of her like toothpaste.]}

[11121_assumption]

...It reminds me of Valtiel. All my life, he watched me. And showed me the Otherworld. And waited.

[ Walter sighed heavily. He felt drained. Just going back to that place, to that scenario, had drained him of energy. ]

But there's hope here. I do not intend to start... that again, here.

[foolishwren]

I have a Pokemon that reminds me of Valtiel, too. And he's definitely creepy as hell, but...

<sub>[Val Jr. was only an angel in personality.]

[But Walter looks exhausted, so Heather shakes her head. It's probably not a good idea to keep on talking about those dark, murky topics right after he just had... whatever the heck that had been.]</sub>

Do you have a tent or something? Just... shelter?

[11121_assumption]

[ Alas, this Valtielw as more alike in personality than appearance. Walter stood slowly, holding Assumption to his chest for comfort. ]

There's a Pokemon Centre. It's where I was when this happened. Chaos, find the way back.

[ The Luxray responded with another growl, her eyes glowing golden. And then she stepped forward, brushing against Walter in a reassuring way and leading him back to where he had been. He was quiet for a bit, before tipping his head to press his cheek against Assumption. ]

I won't start the ritual here. I won't start the ritual here... [ He's trying to assure himself more than anything. Assumption cuddled into him, holding him tight. ]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Put them together and they almost make an Entire Valtiel (tm)!]

[Heather lets out an internal sigh of relief that Walter's already making his way back to the Center of his own volition-- the fact that he doesn't need convincing is a good thing.]

[Especially since she's not exactly confident in her "convincing" activities at this hour.]

[However, she will say, quietly but steadily--]</sub>

I believe in you.

_{[Because he's gone this long without trying, or wanting to. And he has his Pokemon. She believes.]}