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Post by DataNinja on Apr 27, 2021 22:19:02 GMT
He pales, frozen, as Mable starts explaining, and then his face falls. "I... oh."
"That... I see." He sighs, and is silent for some time. From the time he'd gotten here, he was still never really a human. Not to them. They saw him as he was. Not what he was trying to be. "...was I ever actually a friend?" he asks, hesitantly. "Or was it just what you had to do? A burden, that you had to pretend to, so you could figure things out. I... hope I wasn't too much of a hassle."
At this point, he doesn't know what to feel. Everything's a jumble. How much of what he knew was simply... not true?
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Apr 27, 2021 22:52:43 GMT
"I wouldn't be telling you any of this if I didn't hold you in the highest esteem.". Mable answered quietly. "Giving up the people I will know forever, so that you might have a chance at the life you want for yourself. I struggled to come to terms with this the first time. I can't do it again. I need you to be strong enough to stop it Thel."
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 27, 2021 23:03:38 GMT
At her words, he gives her a smile and a nod. "I... I will do everything that I can. I... don't know if I'm strong enough, though. Again and again, I fail when I need to be strong. I fall back on someone else. But I will try. For you, for me, for everyone else..."
Because... when he's alone, he really hasn't managed to do anything without someone else. He wasn't able to stop Terra from being captured. Wasn't able to stop Diva that first time. Would have fallen to her the second time if it wasn't for... well, Aliana. Remembering that, it suddenly brings back a lot of that initial gut chill after all of this new information.
"Mable..." he asks, hesitantly. "What is Essentia? Should I be worried?"
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Apr 28, 2021 0:17:50 GMT
"I will... I'll handle Essentia. It'll be okay. I'm with you, no matter what it costs me. I've had too many regrets, and lived for far, far too long Thel. I'm tired. More tired then you could ever understand.". Mable rose slowly. "If you tell anyone what we've talked about... Lysander won't hesitate to fire the weapon. Come this weekend. Play his game and mince words. It's the only way anyone has a chance."
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 28, 2021 0:24:56 GMT
He gives a nod. "...thank you, Mable. For trusting me." He sighs. "I'm sorry that this spoiled dinner. I just... I wanted to surprise you, and give you a little bit of happiness. I saw that things had been hard for you, lately. I hadn't realized how much..."
"I know I won't ever understand what you're feeling, what you've lost. But if there's anything I can do before then... please let me know."
The triumphant feeling from earlier feels much more squelched now.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Apr 28, 2021 18:26:46 GMT
"It's the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a very long time. Reminds me of a friend I had when I was young. They were a lot like you. Pushed to do what was right. Believed in the people they loved. Worked hard... Sixty years wasn't enough. It would have been... If my time were so short.". Mable sighed wetly. "I gave you too much to think about..."
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Post by DataNinja on Apr 28, 2021 18:41:25 GMT
"Mable...it's okay," Thel reassures gently, holding her hands and lightly squeezing. "I'm glad to know. Even if it's a lot... I'd rather have known. Thank you. I'll do my best to do right by you. And everyone else."
He glances at the food left on the table, and gives a bit of a smile. "Sure you don't want to take that?" he asks, with a hint of good-natured teasing, trying to inject a little less seriousness in.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on May 3, 2021 20:10:49 GMT
Mable collects the plate back to herself, and eats slowly, even though it is well cold. "The day before our meeting, make sure to eat as much sour food as you can stomach. Citrus fruit, and anything you can whip up of the right flavor. It will help. Lysander has used the same five Pokemon for a very long time. His sixth will be in the Flower. Meinshao, a fighting type. Gyarados, a Water and Flying type, Pyroar, a Fire and Normal type, Honchkrow, a Dark and Flying Type, and the Legendary Pokemon Xerneas... A fairy type."
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Post by DataNinja on May 3, 2021 20:54:06 GMT
Thel gives a slow nod as he listens. Six Pokémon. That's a lot. Especially since there may be others... who knows how the other girls would react to anything, for one. Not to mention a Legend. The things that people spoke about of having such strength, such power over things as time, dreams and death.
"Thank you, Mable..." he murmurs. "I will try and make sure your faith in me is not misplaced." He fears that it is, though. He's been doing this Trainer thing for only a month. Not thousands of years, with Pokémon of legend at his fingertips...
He has to try, though. Try something. Otherwise, everything that they've struggled for, it will all be for nothing. Everything, everyone... it will all be wiped away.
"The dinner for Friday isn't exactly sour, but I'll do what I can otherwise." He gives a small laugh. "That was the thing that was really eating away at me for the last week - what to make, what to do, if any of my clothes are actually appropriate for the occasion - but now it seems so... small. It might still be important to me, but... it hits differently now. Still have to figure what to wear, though." He gives another laugh, some of the tension releasing.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on May 4, 2021 19:04:38 GMT
"I'm sure you can find something in town. People are doing anything to keep their hands busy with being trapped indoors and only managing so much to actually assist Olivine.". Mable smiled kindly, though it was clear her thoughts were on the troubling nature of the reality they were in still.
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Post by DataNinja on May 4, 2021 19:25:26 GMT
Thel gives a nod. He doesn't have any money right now, but it might do good to just get his mind off things and look. Maybe tomorrow, before classes or something. He'll have to check tonight if Jasmine still is wanting him to look after the lighthouse alone, since she shooed him out before to deal with things...
"Thanks. Just... please," he rests a hand on her shoulder and squeezes lightly. "Take care of yourself. Make sure to eat a bit. It will help. I... know how much of a difference food makes."
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on May 4, 2021 20:51:07 GMT
"...". Mable laughed, and sobbed. "I don't even need to do that anymore Thel. Everything is so pointless.". She scrubbed one of her eyes and sighed into the same hand. "You have places to be and people with less time on their hands... I'll see you again soon okay?"
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Post by DataNinja on May 4, 2021 20:59:13 GMT
"...oh." That's all Thel can say at first. "I... I'm sorry. I just..." He's rather lost for words. "...o-okay. I'll see you soon." He clasps her free hand in both of his and wordlessly squeezes, before going to gather up his things.
He's got keys to deliver to Jesse's office, and then... he's realized that he could return to his room and call Em there. There are a lot of emotions roiling through him right now...
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on May 4, 2021 22:40:03 GMT
The phone rings a few times before Em picks up. She sounds markedly more fatigued than usual. Less cheerful and bubbly. "Hey Thel, how are you making out today?"
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Post by DataNinja on May 5, 2021 0:47:09 GMT
"It's... been a day with a lot of ups and downs, to be honest..." he says, sighing, though hearing her voice has made him feel a little better. "Ran into the Salazzle again... though this time my Pokémon and I were able to drive her off. Been really tired. But, helped some people out, so... that was nice, at least."
He sighs again. "There's so much that I want to talk to you about, especially with my dreams, but... I just... I want to do it in person. They aren't the kinds of things I want to talk about without being right there." The details of the futures, especially the ones with her. He wants to tell her what he's seen, doesn't want to keep anything from her. But just... not here. Not now. "I... did learn something, though. About my... Second Sight. It's... it's not mine. Not really." He struggles to keep his tears and emotions from his eyes and voice. There's just... too much going on.
"That first night that we sat and watched the sunset when we reunited in Ecruteak... I... I had wanted to know that things would be okay. Wished to know, I guess. And... something listened. It decided that... as long as things aren't going to be fine, I'll know. I'll have nightmares of the future. So... I guess I'll know when everything is finally okay. When I no longer have dreams once again..."
And then there's everything with the Flower. But he can't talk about that. Or else it might all be for nothing...
"How has it been for you?" he asks, not wanting to make everything about him. Wanting to know if Em was okay. If she needed his support. "You sound tired. Has the storm fully reached you there now?"
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on May 5, 2021 12:32:05 GMT
"Just been working really hard to find my center again... you're holding something back, to protect me.". She manages in a strained tone, then has to catch her breath. "I'm starting to feel things again Thel, Sabrina's training is really doing wonders for my mood.". It sounds so strange, she delivers it passively despite how much Thel knew it meant to her.
"Are you sure you can't talk about it over the phone? We could use the video callers in the Pokemon Center?"
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Post by DataNinja on May 5, 2021 17:06:49 GMT
"Oh... oh, that's wonderful, Em," he says, breaking out into a smile. "Just... be careful, okay? Don't hurt yourself by trying to push yourself too far, all at once. But I'm so happy for you."
"I... yeah..." he says. "I didn't know there were video callers there, but... that could probably work. I just... I just want to see you, and reach out to you and be there... and I guess this would be at least one of those things. I need to go to the Center anyways, to get my healed Pokémon. So... yeah. That could work, if there's some privacy. I'm sorry, Em, you're right. I shouldn't wait. It's not fair to you." Especially since, well, he might never get the chance.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on May 6, 2021 18:11:08 GMT
"I'll call you back in a few minutes alright? I should be able to be just a bit more there if I can see you.". There was a little tired laugh, and she was gone.
At the center, a few moments later, one of the Tele-Phones lit up with "Incoming Call for Thel Lucasta" Hitting the accept button, it asked him to confirm camera use. Agreeing, he could see her! See and hear! And she could see and hear him!
"There's my love.". She laughed softly. "It's so good to see your face."
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Post by DataNinja on May 6, 2021 18:32:48 GMT
There's a surprising amount of emptiness in his heart after hanging up even after such a short conversation, and with knowing he'll see her soon. The rain doesn't help, as he has to trudge through that. But, soon he's at the Center, and all that is forgotten.
"And yours, Em…" he laughs and smiles. "It's like there's just a window between us..." He loses himself in her features, her mannerisms for a few moments, before grounding himself. "It's so wonderful to see you again, love... I never expected this to be able happen before we met again in person..."
"Oh!" he remembers a prior conversation, laughing, "You can see my hair now, too. Does this look like the kind of thing you'd want to have done?"
A yawn escapes him involuntarily, despite his happiness. "Sorry... days have been a lot longer and more involved than I'm used to. I'm still going to try and phone every day, though, if I can. I was worried I wouldn't get to have much privacy because the gym was kinda… full of people, but forgot that wasn't the only option." He's rather sheepish about that. "I hope you've been getting enough rest on your end. I don't know how long this storm's going to last..."
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on May 6, 2021 20:20:59 GMT
Em's eyes are more clear then they had been even before, as though the progress with her training has alleviated some great burden from her mind. Her posture is relaxed, and open. Her hair has grown in longer,now down to her shoulders, and there is some tanning and tone to her arms, a clear sign she has been exercising and working outside in the sun.
"Clair protects a shrine here, and the shrine's Pokemon are keeping the weather at bay. I'm doing what I can with Happy to help keep them fed. She's been adamant that I not neglect my body, so I've been eating really well by human standards. I'm even starting to gain weight, which she says is encouraging."
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