bravenewworld | 3rd Order; action

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3rd Order; action

[It isn't that unusual to find Ishimaru out for a walk on the weekends, but this time he isn't the one leading the pack. Truthfully, he hasn't been acting quite the same ever since he came back from Sanctuary. Worry lines were creased deep into his forehead, dark bags became more prevalent under his eyes, and even in class he seemed distant, far away. If he'd been sleeping at all, it hadn't been well. Some part of the prefect just seemed fundamentally broken, and it's clear he's been trying to pick himself up, but to no success.

His Blaziken and his Watchog have taken that initiative for him this time, trying to cheer their trainer up. Even his usually curious and impulsive Blaziken was hanging back just a little, holding Ishimaru's hand gently in his talon and guiding him along. Watchog is perhaps a little less on-task, occasionally running off as she spots a candy wrapper in a trash bin, but her trainer seems too drained to properly discipline her.

In the end, it had been Yukiko's evolution that saved them - not the efforts and passions of an ordinary man, but the epitome of natural, in-born talent, the kind he could never hope to gain. And as grateful as he is for her sacrifice, to be alive, as grateful as he is that everyone else is alive, there's a voice in the back of his mind telling him he failed. Failed his city, failed his family, but most of all, failed everything he believes in. That's not even taking into account the atrocities committed by Sanctuary, those horrors he can barely stand to stomach, wildly different than any of his first impressions of the place.

War leaves a lot to weigh on your mind.]

......

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[War does leave a lot to weigh on one's mind. As a resident of the city that was liberated by Union's rag tag forces, Waver felt like he owed a debt to Union that he had no idea how to repay. He had caught few names and had directly spoken to even fewer individuals, but he could remember the sound of their ragged voices as they battled with their own terror and fought to maintain stability and peace during the transition.

The people on the streets had done a job that few would envy, and they had succeeded in preventing more trauma than was absolutely necessary.

Those stolid individuals deserved a proper show of gratitude. They all did, and he knew that there was little he or anyone in Sanctuary could give.

But, he had to try.

It was the sound of a ragged voice nearby that caught his attention-- one that was familiar. With nothing else to go by, he had to take a risk.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he stepped out into the stranger's path. Looking that stranger in the eye was difficult, both because of Waver's apprehension and the young man's obvious grief. But, still...]

You're a difficult person to find, you know.

[Waver quickly looked away. This was probably too much.]

[The Pokémon by his side tense at the intrusion of this strange boy. People getting up in his face is the last thing their trainer needs right now. Despite their reservations, though, something clicks in Ishimaru's head and prompts him to turn towards Waver.

It isn't nearly enough to bring him back to his old self, but it is a pleasant enough surprise.]

You're the boy from the transmissions tower...!

[At the time, going to help the city he was so loyal to was a no-brainer, but thinking about it now, he isn't sure if he would do it again. His sense of loyalty screams yes, but his sensibilities are filled with regret, brimming with what-ifs, things he could have done infinitely better than he did. He gave it his all, but it wasn't enough. There were many people who could have done better in his place.

Blaziken glances down at Waver himself, then averts his eyes.]

And you're the person from the street.

[Waver nodded, gathering up his courage to regard the stranger more directly despite his anxiety about the pokemon that had subtly shifted to a defensive stance. It seemed to be common practice in Union to let pokemon walk freely with their human partners, and seeing so many highly skilled pokemon was enough to make an unskilled individual like him nervous.

The Blaziken seemed to have deemed him a non-threat, though. That was enough for Waver to press forward.]

I-- I wanted to. Uhm. Thank you.

[His cheeks reddened in embarrassment over his inability to find the right words. When, truly, was the last time he had spoken with anyone on level terms like this?

His Foongus, tiny enough to fit into his heavy bag of notebooks with no problem, peeked its head out of the canvas to see what was happening. He made a soft cooing sound and gently prodded his trainer's hand with a stubby arm as if to push him to keep talking.

Taking a breath, Waver tried again.]

I don't have much, but I have tea. If you have a kitchen we can use, you can have some. If you want.

Edited 2015-06-06 17:49 (UTC)

[What did he have to be thanked for?

Ishimaru shifts a little, clearly uncomfortable with the praise, but his Pokémon seem to appreciate it, despite Blaziken's effort to remain aloof and Watchog's captivated sniffing around Waver's Foongus. As capable as they seem, they really have no idea how to handle this either. There had never been a time where their trainer had been down in the dumps this badly before.

He's at first inclined to refuse, but Blaziken nudges him in the arm. He needs this.]

I suppose we could use the school dining area...

[Drinking tea is one of his favorite pasttimes, after all, below studying, training his Pokémon, meditating, and doing homework. Maybe this will give him the energy he needs to move past all this.]

Are you familiar with Brentwood Academy?

[Orpheus the Foongus turns and gently paps Watchdog on the inquiring nose. They were united in having insecure trainers and, though it could be hard, it always did get better. Humans were strange like that.]

No, I haven't. [Waver confessed, calming down despite himself. The prospect of learning something new about this city helped him shift his focus onto something other than his own nervousness.] But, if you're willing to lead the way, I'll go with you.

Alright. Be sure to stay close...!

[His efforts at enthusiasm are halfhearted at best, but at least he knows his way around the city. Blaziken is able to keep up easily, given his long strides, but Watchog is so preoccupied with papping the Foongus that she nearly misses the memo and has to run on stubby chicken legs to catch up to the...literal giant chicken.

Otherwise, Ishimaru will remain silent through the whole trip unless prompted to speak, staring down at the pavement. Awkward.]

[Foongus squeaks in surprise, falling back into the depth of the bag when Waver starts moving to match the the taller young man's pace. He normally wouldn't have a problem, but those were long strides--]

--Can you slow down a little?

Eh?

[He pauses for a moment, allowing Waver some time to catch up. It felt like a hit to the arm, like he couldn't even do simple things right.

What's wrong with him?]

My apologies, sir...!

[Ishimaru starts off again at a slightly slower pace, but thankfully it isn't long before they reach an elaborate school building with far too many windows to be practical.]

Don't apologize.

[Waver caught up, face furiously red as they made their way to the building. The less attention he got in this place was better for him, and knowing that he had already screwed up and made one of the locals uncomfortable in his clumsy attempts at showing gratitude didn't bode well for the rest of his stay in this city.

They made the rest of the way in silence...until they reached the building.]

That's a lot of windows...

[There was a quiet note of awe in his voice. Buildings with that many windows weren't common in Sanctuary. They encouraged drafts in the winter, but imagine the sunlight...!]

[Tough luck, Waver. Apologizing for things that aren't his fault is a thing he would normally do anyway. The windows, though, are a fine way to distract him.]

I guess there are...! Having so much natural light in the building has excellent health benefits, you know, as well as boosting student moral. Come in!

[Pushing open the door, he starts leading Waver through the hallways to the kitchen. There's still something off about the way he moves, but he's trying harder, that much is obvious.]

[Waver doesn't know the difference between 'normal' and 'not normal' as it regards Ishimaru. He's just glad to have the distraction himself, and he quickly scurries after Ishimaru as he enters.]

It's certainly more inviting in here than the basements at home, [he said softly, staring at everything with wide eyes.

Were his words a hint at his personal study habits? Maybe.]

[Okay, Ishimaru is going to be the last person on the planet to criticize someone for their study habits, but it does stand out enough for him to stop and raise an eyebrow.]

You went to school in a basement?

I did a lot of studying on my own,

[he explained, as if that were enough of an answer to suffice. Even if his own studies took place in basements, he didn't see why it mattered.]

[...a fellow academic! That alone is enough to brighten him up at least momentarily.]

Excellent! It is exceedingly rare that I find other students who take the initiative to better their education. As students, it is our job to study, after all.

[If the whole part about the basement bothers him, he doesn't push it further, and soon he's absorbed in negativity once again. Ishimaru knocks on the kitchen door and begins a lengthy and strangely apologetic conversation with the staff, leaving Blaziken and Watchog to entertain his guest. The latter pokes at his bag, hoping for her new mushfriend to pop out again.]

[The young man was right. It was a student's job to study, and to one day surpass their own teachers in both skill and knowledge. It was why Waver had travelled to Union in the first place, to continue that very silent battle he was in with those intellectuals who had refused to even look upon him.

He watched quietly when the young man started to corrall the staff, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the imposing figure of the Blaziken lingering nearby.

Watchog would indeed find her new mushfriend peering out from the canvas bag. She recieves another playful boop on the nose with a stubby little hand for her continued curiosity. Hello, friend.]

!.... [He spots Ishimaru from across the way, surprised to see him in such spirits. Yeah, a lot of the stuff they found out about Sanctuary was pretty messed up, but he looks like he's just downright depressed and Youske doesn't get that. What's getting him down? He crosses the street, waves a hand cheerfully and approaching the young man.]

Yo, dude, what's got you so down?

[Ishimaru looks up at the familiar voice of one of his teammates - then soon looks back down in shame, standing firmly in place. His Pokémon, though, aren't about to let up so easily, and Watchog tugs on his sleeve to try and get him to talk to Yosuke. Come on, man.]

Waatch!

[Blaziken glances down at Yosuke and pivots towards the other end of the street. Is he trying to take them somewhere?]

Man, don't tell me you got all beat up about Sanctuary too... [He understands being mad, being weirded out, but depressed he's not so sure is an emotion he'd be feeling right about now.]

Don't worry about it, I know that stuff is pretty messed up but we'll figure it out. [Even though Yosuke got a little angry about it himself, with the whole Homunculi thing.]

[He'll take the cue from Blaziken and follows, for sure.]

Edited (whoops i messed up my html) 2015-06-06 19:39 (UTC)

[Oh, he'd be angry for sure in any other circumstance, preaching about how justice is needed for those people who had to undergo such a horrible process, but it's more of the existential crisis that's causing him to act so depressed. For what it's worth, he isn't completely inconsolable, and it's not nearly as bad a depression as it could be in more melancholy circumstances, but if he weren't trying to bottle all of this up in one fell swoop, he would be back to himself much more easily.

But he wouldn't admit that. He can't be so terribly selfish.

Blaziken, on the other hand, moves like he's on a mission, Watchog scuttling behind with much shorter footsteps. From the direction they're headed, he seems to be moving in the general area of the Entertainment District.]

L-Let's not talk about that though, okay? [He tries again, following the pokémon. If he thinks about it too much, he'll get angry all over again. To try to find some sense of justice himself, but he can't. Because he doesn't really know what to think anymore, and trying to hide it behind a smile seems to be working for him.]

Seems like they've got a plan, you guys headed somewhere?

[He'll agree on that, at least.]

...I think they wanted to get me out of my dormitory.

[The thought brings just a twitch of a smile to his lips before it fades as quickly as it appeared. They care about him.

Blaziken is, in fact, headed somewhere - specifically, he stops in front of the Burgh Museum, waiting for Watchog and the rest of the party to catch up. This is a little more...cultured than Blaziken would usually go with, but it's something Ishimaru might like.]

Well, that's what friends are for, right? [He grins, walking along with them to join Blaziken at...a...museum...]

[He looks at the pokémon, like it was crazy. A museum?]

Dude, you seriously think this rusty place is gunna help cheer him up?

[Blaziken squawks in protest. Hey, you don't know my life!

An...art museum?

[Unfortunately for Yosuke, Ishimaru does seem interested in this place.]

I suppose it's worth looking at, at the very least...

[He beckons for his Pokémon to follow him inside, Watchog seeming just as unenthusiastic as you'd expect with her attention span.]

[He stands with Watchog on this one. There's nothing interesting about a museum, at all.]

You're seriously interested in this boring ass place?

...

Fine....

[He follows, not excited, but he can't just ditch the guy.] I hope there's some way out there stuff in here that makes it worth it.

There's nothing boring about this place! After all, to appreciate art is to develop the heart, as they say.

[Blaziken gives Yosuke a look that almost seems smug. Watchog, on the other hand, is not appreciating the joy of artwork as much as her trainer, hanging by Yosuke looking for something at least a little less boring than this, perhaps tugging on his pant leg a little. To be fair, Blaziken doesn't seem too personally engaged himself, but Ishimaru takes great interest in the older paintings in the gallery, a little pep coming back to his step.]

[He glances down to the poor Watchog tugging at his pant leg. He speaks to it in a hushed whisper.]

Yeah, I know buddy, but I guess if it makes him happy...

[Wow that Blaziken is sassing him, he can tell. He pulls an exasperated face at it.]

How the hell do you appreciate this stuff? I mean, some of it looks cool and all but that's about it.

...Hi.

[Lucas had returned to Union and settled back into his normal routine gratefully, finding it a comforting reminder that the horrors of war were far removed to hundreds of miles away. It was a short-sighted way to think, to be sure, but at the moment, he needed to distance himself from what he had experienced.

He is out with his newly evolved Espeon when he runs into Kiyotaka being walked by his Pokemon.]

...You don't look so good.

[Oh no. His study buddy. Surely he has to be able to get over this to greet him with a smile, swallow it all down like it means nothing --

Nope. Can't do it, and that hurts more than the attempt itself.]

Lucas-kun...!

[He bows stiffly, and shallower than he usually would, like he's forcing himself.]

It is good to see you safe and sound.

[Blaziken recognizes the boy, at least, and shoots him a powerful glance. No, he doesn't look so good.]

((So sorry about the delay! Emergency hiatus-type of thing came up; feel free to drop if you'd rather not continue!))

Ah...

[Lucas, while he would normally rush to bring his abilities to bear, believes he recognizes the problem as something more emotional in nature than anything he can use his healing to ameliorate. He pauses before dipping his head slightly in return.]

I'm glad you're alright, too - it wasn't easy back there, was it?

[Tentatively, he suggests -- ]

...Would you mind if we walked with you?

[Weight. That's a word that's come to mean a lot of new things to Yukiko lately. Not physical weight, but...that weird pressure that'd been building in her for the past few months had begun to lift. The weight of failure, however, was unlikely to alleviate itself anytime soon. War left her with much to ponder, even if she wasn't one of the people who'd gone out to fight. She'd...been to scared to do so, too scared of another incident like in the caves.

Yes, she's familiar with that weight, and she's out this weekend for a walk of her own. Beside her trots a Totodile, and trundling along behind her is Jiraiya the Venusaur, her first Pokemon partner.

Ishimaru doesn't go unnoticed by the young woman, and she's quick to approach the younger teenager, waving and offering a nervous look.]

Ishimaru-kun. Are you...alright?

[Seeing her ask if he's okay is like a punch in the stomach.

It's a kind gesture that he appreciates, but can't understand. As little as he knows of evolution as far as Enlightened humans go, he's heard it is rarely a pleasant thing to go through for all the benefits it brings. She'd saved them all at her own expense - so why does she look so nervous for him, of all people?

His problems are far less important.]

Good afternoon, Amagi-kun...!

[Ishimaru swallows and blinks a few times to steel himself. He can't justify lying to anyone, especially her, but going on and on about his feelings and opinions would only be more selfish.]

This is a rough period for all of us, I suppose...but fear not! With determination and resolve in our hearts, we will overcome any hardship that faces us!

[He needs to believe that desperately.]

[All problems are important, especially to someone brought up in a position where serving people and making them relaxed and happy was the goal. It doesn't compute that he should feel bad on her account, because he's not her. He's someone who worked hard to protect those people...]

Yukiko. Please, just...call me Yukiko. [She manages a weak smile and walks closer, Jiraiya and Sobek following.]

And yes, definitely. We've already overcome so much, but...seriously. You look like you're upset. Is there anything I can do? I mean, you were a big help, and I kinda owe you.

[Especially since they had never met before.]

[And all too suddenly his stomach lurches upward into his throat.]

...you saved all of us. If anything, I'm the one who owes you.

[All his efforts had paled in comparison to hers. For all he preached about hard work and diligence, simply giving it his all hadn't been enough. The event would have been terrifying enough on its own, but the sensation of not being able to do anything - for Ishimaru, it was like a crack in his own self-perception he desperately needs to mend.]

[Yukiko reaches an arm out and drops it onto his shoulder, his reaction not sitting well with her at all.]

Ishimaru-kun. Without you there, I wouldn't have had the courage to understand myself enough to evolve.

[She frowns deeply, looking away, bothered by images that still flash through her head.]

I just...I saw that mob there, getting worse and worse, and I heard what you said, and I just couldn't take it anymore. I saw the crowd overrunning everything, people getting hurt, my teammates getting hurt, and with everything you were saying about hte Savior and faith...it all just clicked.

So, no. [A beat.] I owe you. Or we owe one another.

[For a moment, he's so choked up he can't breathe.

Then he gulps it back and comes back to himself, all the inadequacy under the surface. Hearing that from her...it means more than he can say. Her words aren't a cure-all, but Savior, they help, even if he can't believe them to their full capacity.]

You...mean that sincerely?

[It's not like he's going to suddenly start hailing himself as the hero of the whole expedition, but there's a spark of hope in his chest again, courage to face the struggles of tomorrow with all the determination in his body.

Watchog squeaks as she finds a hard candy on the ground.]

[Yukiko nods slowly. It's even more evident that he's needing this. He's seeking some sort of validation.]

I do. You and everyone else. It...wasn't something I'd have been able to do without a push. I...[She laughs, somewhat self-deprecatingly.] I've been trying to evolve for months. It's something I wanted. To unlock those gifts from the Gods. But I haven't been able to, until now.

[Another nod, firmer this time.]

Thank you, Ishimaru.

[ Pearl hadn't been sure what to expect when she signed on to help Sanctuary; she only felt that she had to. she had tried to prepare herself for the worst in her head, but... it was much different listening to everything coming in in the control room.

she couldn't remember ever feeling so horrified as she had been by the revelation of the Magi's experiments. nor so helpless. they won, they suceeded, but... somehow, something about the victory still feels hollow. Sanctuary is free in spite of the odds, and it seems all of Union's forces returned alive, even if not completely unscathed, but...

she's been throwing herself into her training since she returned from Sanctuary. is it an escape from thinking about the night's events? a way to work through them? or a promise to herself of "next time, i will be stronger"?

she doesn't know.

in any case, she's taking a rare break from her training regimen to go for a brisk walk herself. as always, Ezzie, her faithful Meowstic, is by her side, but when Pearl spots Ishimaru's familiar profile, she stops short. she remembers hearing his voice over the radio that night, feeling her heart rise into her throat at the danger he and all the others were in. then she chides herself. he's alive, after all.

though clearly not completely unharmed. she approaches him slowly, clearing her throat to announce her presence. ]

Hello, Mr. Ishimaru. It's good to see you.

[ her smile is smaller than usual, and more tentative, but no less genuine. ]

[Duty has been guiding him since he was young. A duty to Union, to his family, to his name: it shaped who he was more than most men his age, colored his world in black and white. It was never an easy burden to bear, but he would do it.

He has to do it for all of them.

It's not that Ishimaru doesn't place considerable importance on passion, or emotions in general. It's just that expressing his own struggles was never easy to begin with, and he couldn't bear to pointlessly go on and on to someone who would hardly be interested to begin with. For the longest time, he'd wanted a friend to confide in like that. He'd wanted a friend to be by his side through thick and thin, to share good times and bad, a friend who he wouldn't feel horribly selfish confiding in.

He doesn't know if that's normal for someone his age, so he bottles that up too.

You can only bottle so much up for so long before something starts to leak out. Maybe it already was, given how prone he is to spontaneous bursts of crying, but this is deeper than that.]

...good afternoon, Fey-kun!

[He tries to force a smile, but it's obviously half-hearted and comes with a short sigh.]

Have you been faring well lately?

[ she dips her head gently. ]

I have not been doing too badly, thank you. Although I have had a lot to think about, since... everything that happened in that city.

[ she's sure she doesn't need to elaborate. Ishimaru had been right in the thick of things, after all. ]

[Lenna often takes walks herself when she isn't busy with her duties as head of the Tycoon family, as she likes to make sure she can stay connected to every corner of Union. She spots Ishimaru on his own outing as she's walking the other way, and it isn't hard to see that something is on his mind. Unable to ignore a friend in need, she slowly approaches.]

...Kiyotaka?

[If there's one person who can understand the amount of pressure Ishimaru puts on himself, it's Lenna.]

...Ms. Tycoon!

[He hesitates before he salutes, as if he's trying to remember how to do it. Watchog isn't about to drop the ball, though, and she imitates her trainer with the gusto he currently lacks.]

[It's true. Things have been hard for her since her father went missing.]

Please... just Lenna is fine.

[She'll probably have to correct him every time. All the same, she waves a hand as he salutes.]

Ah... at ease?

[War isn't pretty, being an Enlightened isn't easy. These were all things that Maka understood as "really freakin' obvious."

But still...the sheer amount of emotional beatings she's been receiving from the struggles and attempts at growth have been staggering. This last venture in particular left a lot of unanswered questions--did they do the right thing? What would the gods think of them right now? Was there even a right choice in this matter?

Maka dislikes unanswered questions about as much as she dislikes leaving books unfinished, and this last go around has caused many sleepless nights in its wake.

She's not the only one, obviously. It'd be foolish and selfish to ever assume she's the only one. Though it's tempting to just lock herself in her house and never come out, Maka presses on with her routine--a daily walk among them, her Luxray and Meowstic walking on either side of her as usual. She didn't seek out Ishimaru, exactly, but seeing him and the nearly tangible cloud of gloom around him is enough to prompt an approach and fall into step.]

Good morning, everyone. Where are you all off to? [As a Kindred Soul, her instinct is usually to address trainers and their Pokemon as a collective group.]

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3rd Order; action

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