kiyotaka ishimaru (石丸 清多夏) (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
hallacious) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
bravenewworld2015-06-06 12:10 pm
hallacious) wrote in bravenewworld2015-06-06 12:10 pm
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.]
......
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.]
......
no subject
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.]
no subject
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.
no subject
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?
no subject
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.
no subject
[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.]
no subject
--Can you slow down a little?
no subject
[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.]
no subject
[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...!]
no subject
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.]
no subject
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.]
no subject
You went to school in a basement?
no subject
[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.]
no subject
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.]
no subject
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.]