Tragic Sound (Sepullen)
Curses. One loss after another. First a logical loss, then a physical one. In this instance, one might reconsider attaining perfection. For all I know, it might be unattainable. So I don't know everything, but I've accepted that fact. A child gives up, a grieving mortal gives up, but I, Relic Master Sepullen do not give up.
Where…?
It is not possible for me to lose consciousness, but receiving heavy damage puts rifts in my memory. I lost to Kala, but I'm unable to remember anything between then and now. I know that I'm on dry land, half buried in the sand of a beach. It's most likely near the sound, but I could just as easily be on the other side of Archaea.
The damage I sustained is enough to nullify my psychic, magical, and aura abilities. Venomitus knows how much I would kill to have his regeneration. I don't unfortunately, and I was never able to think of a contingency in case something like this ever did happen. That's why the plan has always been to not receive damage in the first place.
Even though he is not an official member of Team Ruin, I let Venomitus carry our treasure bag, only because of his species tendency to value treasures over their own life at times. That bag is virtually indestructible as well, so whatever antics he gets himself into while not under my supervision are of no harm to our valuables.
If he could get close to me with that bag, I could at least regain my aura abilities. It's a useful rumor that I alone have the ability to subconsciously read the minds of living beings around me, but a false one. On my own, I have the ability to read the minds of pokemon with weaker wills, but the relic known as the Psychic Piece grants the ability to automatically pick up the thoughts and memories of any pokemon within twenty-six feet of me, and the ability to detect the aura of pokemon within five-hundred miles.
That relic only has to be in the vicinity of me in order to work, but it would appear that Venomitus isn't close enough. The only thing I have to rely on is my fairly week sight. Without psychic or magical energy, I can't move, and as a claydol I'm unable to hear sound.
I can see that I'm half buried in the sand, which is not a good thing. If I don't remove myself from the sand and water, it will corrode away my clay vessel and serve to make the damage worse. I don't believe in superstition, but a commoner would call me lucky for being unable to feel pain.
The sand in my line of sight remains unchanging, so I resolve to think of a way to regain the ability to move if nothing else. It doesn't take me long to come to a small enlightenment; despite all my power and influence in this world, this is what I am without augmentation. At my core, without magic, relics, or prowess, I am this vessel. Without the ability to serve a purpose, I am worth nothing more than a pebble beneath a traveler's feet.
What does that mean? Without layers of outward things to define a pokemon, who are they? Most of all, how do I know what I am at my core? To others, I am Relic Master Sepullen. I get what I want, I give respect to very few, and appear very powerful and intimidating. However, no one is around to see any of that. When I am alone, who am I?
"A wall, stranger. You are a wall."
What? Is there a pokemon there?
"Why yes, a very curious pokemon."
A milotic moves into my field of view and lowers her head down to my eye level. Her expression and posture suggest that she's very compassionate and generous, but has a streak of cynicism. It's very similar to the way Branna carries herself, but this pokemon seems aged and experienced, whereas Branna still moves with the vitality of a youth.
"You are… an interesting sort," she says. "You seem to have spent years running from your own nature. Right now, you are a wall, but your heart tells me you have the mind of a thief."
A thief? I have been called many things, but I don't recall ever being called a thief. I'm not offended, after all, she's not disrespecting me. She would only offend me if this were a matter of opinion, but somehow I know that it isn't. For some reason, I want to listen to what she has to say. She called me a curious pokemon, but I feel the same way about her. Just what will she say next?
"You are living the thief's dream, to come up with a surefire method to generate fortune for yourself, without having to do very much of the work. You make others believe that you are powerful, when all your power comes from the relics that your friend has tracked down for you. He's the only one that knows you for what you are, yet he stays by your side for a reason I can't fathom."
As it is, I've heard this little song before. Venomitus has told me many times over that he thinks I've lost my way, that somehow I'm different from when we first encountered one another. In reality, I've only evolved. I've only shed the flaws, but kept the traits that have gotten me to where I am. I haven't changed.
"Tell me this… if you haven't changed, then why did you take in your friend all those years ago, and now you treat him like trash?"
This… I don't remember why. At the time, I could tell he wasn't from this world, so I trained him how to survive as a pokemon. The reason for why never occurred to me, even at the time. I did, that's all I know.
"Then again, maybe you haven't changed. Maybe you just need to tear down your wall, and your facade. After all, you've kept him around this long, and even depend on him more than your own team. Come to think of it, you've been nothing but accommodating to that serperior ever since you met her. Why is that? Your soul is that of a thief, but a kind one. You have only hidden it away is all."
What is your name, sage?
"I'm called Su, and you inlander, are Sepullen."
If you assist me in recovery, I wish to know more. No matter how I may be, or what the state of my existence is, I only seek to eliminate flaws. If you can help me see into my own soul and do that directly, then so be it.
"Alright," she says. "But only because you are the first inlander to recognize the generous nature of seafarers. There is much rot to be removed from you."
It's at this moment I find myself saying a phrase I haven't spoken genuinely to anyone in years; deepest gratitude, sage.
"Just Su is fine."
Sage Su, then. Titles denote respect, and you have my respect.
"Sage Su it is, then," she says with amusement. "It appears that the tiniest of stains has been removed from your soul."
Tragic Sound (Frost)
I've always believed that having power of any kind was a curse on it's own. Vanish learned powerful magic from a legendary at some point, and that power turned her into what she is. I spent years alongside her as a member of Team Fade, but I swore to myself that I would never be like her. All I wanted was peace and quiet, and she gave that to me for a long time.
Now, I feel differently than I did even hours ago. Power of any kind can be used for good if given to a pokemon with a strong will and good morals. Mr. Money would make a good candidate for an agent in that respect. Hell, Branna could be an agent if she had any respect for legendaries.
For now, I've been made Emerald's agent. It's weird to think about, especially because of the whole 'Dark Matter' thing. There's no doubt that she's telling the truth, though. In the same way that the Frustration technique, or mega-evolution are powered by emotion, the energy coursing through me is pure, passionate hate.
Though, it doesn't seem like any of this is actually Emerald's hate. It feels like she, and by proxy me, is drawing her power from other pokemon. From what I remember about Dark Matter, she would be drawing her power from the entire world, but can that really match an agent of Ember's caliber?
"Ember can't feel aura like we can," Emerald says. "But it is only a matter of time until he realizes where we are. Don't fret, Frost, all of my power is yours, and you can match him."
"Well," I say with a smirk. "Let's roll with advantage while we still can."
"Wait," Emerald says. "Before you fight, I must ask you not to use any of my abilities. I have spent hundreds of years learning to control them, but you are prone to anger. You would be consumed by your rage if you used Dark Matter to fight."
"Can do. He's a dragon. I'll just pummel his face in with ice magic."
As it stands now, I already feel like I might be consumed by without even doing anything. I know I seem very eager to fight on the outside, but I'm trying to let myself get used to it for as long as I can. All the hatred, sadness, and rage from every pokemon in the world is very intoxicating.
Ember is not going to be easy. I have the elemental advantage, but he can use sacred fire to melt it. With that and having to resist Dark Matter, I'm not sure if I can beat him. I know that like Lyle was when he was alive, battles don't make me angry, but focused. They're one of the only scenarios where I can truly relax. If I focus solely on Ember as my opponent, I know I can win.
"Frost," Emerald says. "You may not enjoy this, but I'm sending Venomitus down there with you. I will be here focusing my power into you."
"I won't be worth anything in this fight, Emerald. Even you know that," Venomitus says.
"Do what she says," I command. "I want to get this tripe over with."
Reluctantly, he jumps over Emerald's shoulder to me. As he does so, he nearly misses me entirely, but manages to hook his claws into my side. Somehow, the blood that flows from the wound doesn't bother me as much as Rose's blood earlier. I help Venomitus up until he's hugging my neck the same way he was with Emerald.
There's no way he would know, but I didn't agree to bring him because I think he can help me. Honestly, in reuniting with Branna, I've realized that having a friend is the best thing I can have. If there's even a small chance I can make a new one, I have to take it. I think Emerald knows that too.
"Alright," I say with a deep breath. "Here we go."
Before I attack Ember, I want to test the waters a little bit. With immense energy flowing through me, I pour it into the atmosphere and project my own element. Thick silver clouds roll over the sky, barely shrouding the morning sun. I don't even flinch when a six centimeter long hailstone pierces through the air a grazes my cheek.
Below us, Ember looks at the sky in comical confusion. By the time he would see us, I'm already gone. Venomitus hangs onto me surprisingly easily as I fly through the air as speeds that no normal pokemon can see. As always, I use the snow and hail raining from the sky as cover. As I fly close to Ember, I spin and grab Venomitus, then use the momentum to spike him at the hulking salamence.
Ember's armor is preventing the hail from damaging him, but I know the weak spot that most pokemon have in common. Ember turns his head as soon as Venomitus impacts him, but that action is all I need. Before he has time to react, I shove an ice shard into his eye. Using his surprise to my advantage, I push the shard deeper and deeper.
With a roar of rage, he swiftly swipes the air with his front left claw toward me. I think about making a quip at how ueless that action was, until a white-hot blade cuts through the air towards me. It travels at such a speed that when I try to dodge it, it makes a clean cut through my hand and continues on its path.
The burning prevents my hand from bleeding, but I fold in pain as some sort of foreign energy eats away not only the cells on the surface, but the energy that's being supplied to me from Emerald. I don't have a clue what this is, but I know that if I get hit by it again, I might be erased from existence entirely without the possibility of regeneration.
Ignoring the ice shard in his eye, Ember tries to advance toward me in my injured state. Apparently, he hasn't noticed Venomitus yet. That works out perfectly when, just as he tries to move claw again, the little sableye forms a glowing green power gem and plunges it into Ember's other eye with the strengths of both of his claws.
"Gah!" he roars. "Emerald, you coward! Fight me yourself!"
He grabs Venomitus from the top of his head and holds him to the ground beneath his claws. Instead of attacking him, Ember turns his attention back to me. I'm barely able to move because, unlike other ghosts, I can feel pain. The sensation in my hand is too much for me to think about anything else.
That fact that I'm stationary means he can use a slower attack and still hit me. We both know that, which means that he's most likely going to burn me with sacred fire. Nevermeltice won't do me any good right now, but what will? If only I could remove his armor plating, then he would be impaled by the hailstones.
As Ember opens his maw, I immediately recognize the bright blue flames forming at the back of his throat. Even preparing the attack generates enough light for me to have to look away. This is clearly going to be more powerful than when he used it yesterday when I was trying to freeze Metal Claw.
As the attack reaches the peak of its charge, it heats up the air around Ember. The heat and pressure around him seem to signify my impending defeat, and possibly, my actual death. If he follows up with that cutting attack of his, its inevitable. My hand hasn't even started regenerating yet, which means that if I don't dodge it, I won't come back from it.
For a moment, Venomitus stops struggling against Ember's grip to look at me. I try my best to hide it, but I can tell he sees expression I make when I've given up. It happens so often now, that I might as well use it as my calling card. Seeing me this way seems to have made Venomitus lose his fighting spirit too.
You know what? I don't care anymore.
"Frost," Emerald says in my head. "Please don't… If you do this, winning won't be worth it."
Thoughts of hatred toward my enemy stir within me, but just as I'm about to ignore Emerald's warning, a broken double-helix of blue and yellow lightning strikes halfway between Ember and me. To my surprise, three pokemon stand where the lightning struck. Two of them left me on my own in Team Gamma's fortress, and one of them was near death last time I saw them.
"Oi," Aurate says, waving to me from Iode's back. "Miss me?"
"Not exactly," I say with a smirk. "But I'm glad you're here."
He nods and turns to Ember. Mr. Money stands alongside them, looking at the salamence with an uncharacteristically serious expression. He's still mostly calm, but every few seconds a spark of electricity will crack across his fur. He looks back at me for a moment and takes notice of my hand. He seems surprised at the wound.
"You used Spacial Rend against her?" he asks Ember.
The sacred fire dies down as Ember recognizes his team leader. For only a millisecond, I swear he looks conflicted, but it doesn't last long. With his claw that isn't holding Venomitus down, he prepares to cut through the air again.
"Move aside, Money," he says. "The heavens… Palkia marked Emerald and Venomitus for death. He wants Venomitus to watch her die. I can't get to Emerald until I get rid of her agent."
"Agent?" Mr. Money puzzles. "So you really are working for redemption, Frost. That makes me so wonderfully proud of you."
For a moment, I think tears might fall from his eyes from how much he's smiling. Maybe… just maybe I can call him a friend. As a pokemon who doesn't have anything to offer, it's highly unlikely that I could be his friend, but still…
"I understand your loyalty," he says, addressing Ember. "But this is why you must not impede her progress toward decency and moral. Her undeath is not yours to end."
"I'm not here to argue with you," Ember says. "You been a comrade for a long time, so you know my priority between your command and Palkia's. I won't tell you again, move aside."
"I cannot," Mr. Money says.
Ember swipes in a horizontal motion, sending a Spacial Rend through the air toward me. If he doesn't move, it will hit him, but if he does move, I won't be able to dodge in time. Iode tries to move the persian out of the way, but before he can, Mr. Money uses his hind legs to kick me into the ground. The next thing I see is the Spacial Rend flying over my head, missing me completely.
In a daze, I lift my head up from the ground. The first thing I see is the dumbfounded looks from Aurate, Iode, and Ember alike. I look around for Mr. Money, but he isn't anywhere in my line of sight. Was he able to dodge the attack after all? Maybe Iode was able to get him out of the way in time.
"He was… supposed to move," Ember barely manages to say. "He was fast enough. Why… didn't he move when he had the chance?"
I'm confused. Where is Mr. Money? Did he maybe dodge too far away? Maybe he's planning a sneak attack from somewhere. Normal-types usually know how to dig, even though Mr. Money knows mostly electric-type moves. Maybe he's underground. Or maybe even-
"Stop," I hear Emerald say. "Accept it, make peace with it, then move on. I can't bear to see you like this. The very fact that you are denying something means you know what happened."
"She's correct," Venomitus struggles to say beneath Ember's claw. "A terrible reality, but it is indeed the truth. Mr. Money has, to put it generously sugar coated, disappeared. He is gone from this world, never to return even as a ghost."
The little sableye's words help me realize something about myself. The reason I couldn't stand the sight of Rose's blood, but I could my own, was because I'm starting to care. For whatever reason, I feel the pain of others as if it were my own, and that's why I can't stand it when I see a living pokemon get hurt. Not once did I ever think about how I might react if a living pokemon died. I suppose I'm about to find out.
At first, I can't really think of how I feel. Other pokemon's emotions still course through me, but none of them are my own. Then, I'm reminded of the sensation of my internal organs being exposed to open air. I felt like something was missing, even though Xenon didn't remove any of my organs. I feel like that. Something is missing, but not anything I can see or touch.
I'm devoid of the right emotion, or even the knowledge of what I'm supposed to be feeling. It's like… I have none, but I'm supposed to. So now, to compensate, my mind is latching onto one. Emerald is trying to sever our connection, but it's too late. Hate is never aimless, it must be directed at something or someone. Luckily, that target deserves what's coming to them.
"Ember," I say, staring him dead in the eye. For the first time since I became an agent, the hate doesn't feel like it's from thousands of pokemon around the world. It feels like it is, and has always been mine.
"This is proof that bad karma is all there is. Mr. Money did nothing wrong, and got dealt a bad hand, but that's just life, I suppose," I say.
He looks over to me, not really understanding the situation.
"But just as he got dealt a bad hand," I say. "The worse hands get dealt to the worst pokemon, and in this game, I'm your dealer."