victory_road | Video;

[This video opens to a full-view of Armin. Someone else must be holding the camera. And it seems Armin is experiencing many emotions right now -- those that know him well, or those with an eye for it, can probably spot a nervous sort of elated embarrassment on his face.

He also seems to be standing in front of a strange new building. Few will have seen this building, and even fewer in its completed state.]

Is it--

[Addressing the cameraman (or woman, in this case) but then he switches back to addressing the camera fully, presumably after getting an indication that, yes, they are rolling.]

Hi. As most of you will know, anyone who beats the Elite Four is allowed to open their own gym. [Unnecessary exposition, it's his role.] Which includes me. I already told a few of your about this, but now that the project is officially completely completed, it's time to inform everyone.

[He turns a little, gesturing to the light coloured building.]

This is the Pelagic Gym, also known as the Underwater Gym and starting today, I'll be taking challenges here. There will be the option of taking on a three pokemon team at level 50 and a full party at level 100. Oh, and as the name implies, all challenges here will be fought underwater. If anyone is curious to learn about that, I'll be happy to answer any of your questions. Or, if you are on the islands, you are always free to drop by to give an underwater battle a try. The Gym is on a small island a little way of island four. It shouldn't be hard to find.

[The more he talks, the more relaxed he seems to become. The very keen-eyed might notice a flicker of something over his shoulder.]

I really hope to show you the beauty of underwater battling. Most people go their entire life only battling on the surface, but when it comes to aquatic pokemon, there is nothing like watching them battle in their element.

[He's bright-eyed and smiling now. There is a shift in the shadow over his shoulder.]

So, I lo--

[What Armin was going to say was I look forward to your visits. You know. Something normal.

But that!! That is boring. Or at least, that is what the naughty Gengar hidden behind him thinks. In fact, this whole talk has been pretty Bo!! Ring!! Time to spice that up! It's easy-peasy to dive into Armin's back, dip into his skull and find something much much funnier to say. Which turns out to be:]

I love boobies.

[Armin's eyes widen as he realised what he's just said, his mouth opening for an apology, which turns into:]

And I really love Angel's boobies..

[Armin quickly claps his hands over his mouth before any other embarrassing truths might come out, the camera cutting off quickly after.]

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[Steven stares at Armin for a long moment before turning off the feed so he can switch things to a private channel.

When he opens up the new feed, he looks extremely tired and stressed out.]

Armin. I— look. I know Jack did something that led to Angel dying. She inferred as much once, some months ago. I can guess that it might have involved the vault hunters, given how close Angel has been with them and how much Jack hates them. Her being... an accidental casualty to something he did against them... it makes far too much sense.

I haven't asked him. There's some things you can't ask him.

Armin, I... you have every right to be furious at him for whatever it was that lead to Angel's death. Fuck knows I'd be absolutely murderous in your place.

And I know... [There's a long moment's hesitation before he pushes on.] I know that Jack isn't really capable of loving unselfishly, the way people ought to. People like he and I, with certain tendencies... I'm hardly better than Jack, to tell you the truth. There's a reason why I've never considered myself to be a fit father. [Despite the fact that he did, in fact, want children.]

But he does love her, as best as he's able.

[Armin can only listen to Steven's many excuses for a man who deserves none with an extreme sense of tiredness. Partially, he knows it is not Steven's fault for not being informed, but at this point, he wonders if that would completely change Steven's drive to try and find excuses for Jack.]

... She was not an accidental casualty. What he did to her, he did it knowingly. And for years.

I'm not a parent, but I'd say that if you actions put your child in a position where death is a relief, then perhaps you do not get to fuss about who your child wants to date. Even if they are the worst person in the universe, because they will still always be a step up from you.

[Steven gets very, very still.]

... for years?

['If death is a relief?' Oh god, oh fuck, did Angel suicide because of something Jack did?]

Armin... please, just tell me what he did. I won't... I won't tell him who I heard it from. I won't let him know that I know.

It's... it's not my story to tell, Steven. I frankly don't care if he knows you know. Or if he knows who you heard it from. But it's Angel's personal history. She'd have to agree to me telling you first.

I do care if he knows I know because I'd be going behind his back to find out, given how his former spouses and his daughter are the one part of his past where he'll tell me when he's good and ready and not before... and in retrospect, that's actually kind of suspicious, fuck.

But yeah. Ask Angel if you can tell me the bare-bones version. Because from what you just said about death being a relief... the first thing that leaps to mind is that he made her so miserable it drove her to suicide.

[Steven looks extremely upset about this possibly.]

And. Um. You can tell her I won't try talking to her again. I'm sorry what it'll do to your game but I think it wasn't going to last much longer anyway.

Edited 2020-10-20 02:33 (UTC)

I'll ask but...

[He hesitates, wondering if this would be too much but then ends up adding.]

But sometimes a first assumption ends up being correct in the end.

[Though in this case, even Steven's first assumption is technically not even bad enough.]

[Steven's expression just crumples and he buries his face in his hands.]

Fuck.

[Armin is just... going to leave it at that. He likes Steven, he really does. But maybe he needs some time to overthink defending Jack without really knowing the situation.]

[Yeah. He's going to need some time to be alone with his thoughts. And probably to talk to Hythlo. Like, this is the kind of shit unofficial therapists are for, isn't it?

Fuck.]

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